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Eleanor Manuel King 




James W. King 












WARNING FROM THE INVISIBLE 

-SUPERNATURAL 


Plot, Grime, Mystery and Conspiracy 



-By- 

ELEANOR MANUEL KING 

«\ 

Also known as 
NELLIE MANUEL KING. 



> > 
t ) ) 



Copyright! 1913. 
by 

ELEANOR MANUEL KING. 



PREFACE . 



Readers :— 

This is my first endeavor to compose and write a book 
for publication. My object for so doing, is for the pro¬ 
tection of my husband, myself and others whose lives and 
property are in danger. I have been advised by a few 
who have some knowledge of my true story, that it will 
awaken no small amount of interest in many of my read¬ 
ers and will, no doubt, be beneficial as an educator, as 
well. 

To get a right understanding of all of my story and 
evidence combined, the scenes and sketches must be kept 
in mind as they are related and explained, and carefully 
compared with the evidence; for it is a case of mystery. 
There are names of individuals and families mentioned, 
who I do not suspect of any crime or conspiracy, who 
it so happened, apparently, to come in the chain of events 
of my life, whose mention is to show how my suspicions 
were aroused, how my knowledge and evidence of the 
case came about. Some of them if alive and can be 
found, if honorable, could be witnesses to some part of 
my true story. Some of them have so far proven them¬ 
selves to be honorable and deserving of praise. 

Any and all contained herein as related according to 
my own knowledge and experience, is all true according 
to my memory, knowledge and belief — without exag¬ 
geration. 

Eleanor (and Nellie ) Manuel King . 


r /*££ 

©CI.A354568 


AFFIDAVIT. 


STATE OF WASHINGTON 
COUNTY OF KING 

WITNESSETH: 


We the undersigned severally and each for himself being first 
duly sworn, deposeth and sayeth that we have heard, read, and seen 
the original of certain letters, statements, newspaper accounts, and 
affidavits, compared with the copies of the originals, and certify 
that the wording was the same. 


All the said Letters, Statements, News Paper accounts and Af¬ 
fidavits at the time of the above comparison were in the posses¬ 
sion of Mr. and Mrs. J. W. King. 

D. M. COX 

Signed and Duly Acknowledged E. O. ARNOLD 

this 22nd day of May, 1912. C. M. SHEA 

ABE NEEL 

STATE OF WASHINGTON 1 cc 
COUNTY OF KING \ ss * 


This is to Certify, That on this 22nd day of May, A. D. 1912, 
before me G. F. Gray a Notary Public in and for the State of 
Washington duly commissioned and sworn, personally came D. M. 
Cox, E. O. Arnold, C. M. Shea and Abe Neel, to me known to be 
individuals described in and who executed the within instrument 
and acknowledged that they signed and sealed the same as their 
free and voluntary act and deed for the uses and purpose there¬ 
in mentioned. 

WITNESS my hand and official seal, this 22nd day of May, 


1912. 


G. F. GRAY, 


A Notary Public in and for the State of Washington, 
residing at Auburn, Washington. 


I. 

WHO WERE MY PARENTS? WHAT BECAME OF THEM 

AND OTHERS? 


I understood and have remembered from a small child, that 
I had belonged to a couple who had the care of me. I was, no 
doubt, their only living child, as there were no other children 
with us. I was so small while with them, they carried me in 
their arms. They were affectionate—like fond parents to me. 
I loved them, and love is not so readily forgotten as passing 
friendship. Though they disappeared from my sight when I was 
not more than three years old, I did not forget them. They were 
gone—missing! Why were they gone, what had become of them, 
were questions in my mind. I grieved for them days, weeks, 
months and years. They never returned to me in visible form. 
Being too small to form any idea as to what had become of them, 
having that perfect confidence that a child has in natural parents, 
I expected their return day by day and lived in hopes of meeting 
them again. The woman who raised me, denied to me all know¬ 
ledge of the absent ones I longed to be with. At their disap¬ 
pearance, all faces with very few exceptions were strange and 
new to me. 

There were scenes with a little conversation, that have re¬ 
mained pictured in my memory, that were true; they are neces¬ 
sary in the way of explanation and in searching out the mystery; 
though do not be misled as to the order in which they took place ; 
any more than they will explain themselves, or will be explained 
by the evidence brought out; for I was too young to know their 
order or to connect events when they transpired. 



SCENES OF MEMORY—LINKS IN A CHAIN OF 

MYSTERIOUS EVENTS. 


SCENE I. 

Two women were walking and conversing on a nice, clean, 
even street of a town or city, where were slate-colored buildings 
and picket fences—a picture in my memory. One said to the 
other: 

“So this is-The name for some years was retained 

in my memory—only a syllable now, that is: “All.” 

One of the women was carrying me in her arms during this 
scene, when I remember also that one of them said to the other: 

The sun is going down—it is getting late—we must hurry.” 


SCENE 2. 


A man and woman were sitting on the same seat of a two- 
horse wagon or carriage; the latter held me on her lap; we were 
alone traveling in the country—a valley; were descending to the 
bank of a river, where I remember that in their conversation they 
mentioned the Platte river. The river we then came to was a full 
river, whose banks at the water line were lined with tule, there 
being no trees near us that I remember. On the opposite side of 
the river was a level, long, wide field, covered with small stacks 
of new-mown grain, that extended to a range of hills. Our team 
was driven onto a ferry that conveyed us across the river to the 

field. 


SCENE 3. 


I was with the couple riding in a two-horse wagon or carriage, 

sitting on the woman’s lap, traveling in a rocky country, a high 
plateau, that surrounded a valley to our left, giving the valley 
below the appearance of a hole in the ground, covered with brush 
The road we were traveling was hard, uneaven, leading through 
small brush, some tall bushes and large rocks scattered here and 
there. I have no knowledge as to the location of this place. 




10 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


SCENE 4. 

I was with the couple in a two-horse wagon or carriage, trav¬ 
eling on a level country between two ranges of hills where I saw 
no house, where the road was clean, level, even, and the soil was 
red. I was sitting on the lap of the woman, as they conversed 
about the color of the soil, and well remember of him saying: 

“All of the soil in this part of the country is red.” 

The grass was dry and dead; a place barren of shrubbery- 
only what appeared like bushes or scrub-oaks, were thinly scat¬ 
tered over one range of hills from where I viewed it. There are a 
number of localities where the soil is red in the state of Califor 
nia, though I have no positive knowledge as to where this scene 
was located, having never traversed it the second time that I re¬ 
member. 


SCENE 5. 

I was with the couple again; they were occupying the same seat 
of that I remember was a covered, two-horse carriage; the woman 
holding me on her lap. I gathered from their conversation as 
impressed in memory, that we were in a part of the country new 
to one, if not both of them. We were alone, where I saw no house, in 
a wild, mountainous country, were descending into a trough-like 
canyon, at the bottom of which flowed a stream of water, which 
we crossed on a small bridge. A short distance after crossing 
the bridge I remember the man said to the woman: 

“We will soon be there.” 

The road we were traveling led straight ahead over rises of 
several hills that were narrow and teilace-like, to a high, rock 
snow-capped range; the grass was dry and dead, there was no 
shrubbery—no more than what appeared in the distance to be 
a bush or small tree now and then at wide ranges apart over the 
hills. When we had reached the highest range of hills, between 
us and the base of the snow-capped rock range, was a small 
mountain stream with bushes along its edges, excepting where the 
road ran through, that the horses waded, that was a very short 
distance from the entrance of the gap. The gap was a wonder, 
with perpendicular walls that must have been hundreds of feet in 
height, and too narrow for one team to pass another at a time. I 
noticed and remembered there were several large, moss-covered 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


11 


rocks near the entrance, leaning against one of its moss-covered 
walls. We were viewing the gap that the couple were conversing 
about, while the horses liesurely walked. It was here, I remember, 
the man called to me by the name of Nellie. 

The gap suddenly widened to our left, where, at a short dis¬ 
tance our front view was obstructed by a large rock cliff; between 
this and one of the walls, the road from where I viewed it ap¬ 
peared narrower than any place I had observed. Here, I well 
remember of hearing the woman say: 

“I see some heads peering round yonder rock. Do you think 

they can be Indians?” 

To this question he replied: 

“I don’t think they are.” 

I began to cry, understanding from what I heard them say, 
that those behind the rock were dangrous; and remember then 
a little of their conversation. He said to her: 

“Our only chance that I can see, is to drive rapidly round 

the rock—maybe we can pass them.” 

The horses were then started on a lively run, when he said to 

her: 

“Hold fast to the child—don’t fall out.” 

When the horses were running, I remember of falling and 
lying on my back, feeling something like water running about 
my ears, that probably was blood; remembering there was no 
water here that I could fall into, as the scene is impressed in 
memory; then some one lifted me up. This is all that is re¬ 
tained in my memory of the gap. 

SCENE 6. 

A man and woman were walking in an oak grove; she clung 
to one arm while he carried me with the other. I understood 
from their conversation, as impressed in memory, that we 
were near some house, which we were on our way to, and here 
remember the man said to the woman: 

“We will soon be there.” 

I noticed and remembered then, that her head did not come 
above his shoulders; all that I remember of this scene. 

SCENE 7. 

I was with, what appeared to me then, to be a large gathering 
of people on a grassy commons, at the base of a low hill, viewing 


\2 LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 

soldiers on parade, on the hill, where I saw fences and houses 
near us in another direction, having no remembrance as to who I 
was with during this scene. Later, when a small girl, I saw and 
recognized the place of this scene in the near vicinity of the town 
of Napa, called Napa City, in Napa County, state of California. 
Near the spot of this scene was later erected a school building, that 
was named “The Oak Mound School.” 

SCENE 8. 

I was in a house looking out of a front window as the 
sun was going down, when a man in a farm wagon drove up to 
the front gate with a load of furniture and heard him call for 
someone to come out. A woman and man was then with me in the 
same room, when the latter went out and helped carry the furni¬ 
ture into the room where we were, and I saw the two men drive 
away together. Another woman then came into the room where 
we were, who first inquired about me, saying to the one with me: 

“And is this Lena?” 

To her question the other neither said yes or no, but answered: 

“We are going to call her Nellie—her name is Nellie.” 

They were both examining the furniture, as though new to 
them. The one who came last, said to the other: 

“When the furniture is re-cushioned and re-varnished, it will 
look as nice as when new.” 

I recognized this furniture or had seen some like it before 
it came to the house that evening; the cushions were worn—evi¬ 
dence that it had been in use. This furniture was nice and ex¬ 
pensive; the frames were, to the best of my knowledge, of black 
ebony, carved in acorns and acron leaves. 

SCENE 9. 

I was in the same house where the load of furniture was 
brought, described in Scene 8, with a number of women who were 
admiring clothes of mine, they said, “were so nice and beautifully 
made.” They were also admiring a little white dress I wore then, 
the skirt of which was tucked with graduating tucks to the waist, 
the memory of which remains quite plain in my mind to the 
present time. 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


13 


SCENE 10. 

We were in a two-seated, two-horse carriage that was standing 
on a small eminence; were viewing a green, tule, grassy, watery 
valley. Two men occupied the front seat; a woman sat on the 
back seat holding me on her lap, the only ones occupying the 
back seat that I remember. As it was impressed in memory 
one of the men was a stranger, or a stranger in that part of the 
country, where the other was showing and giving accounts of the 
valley to him. We were close to two rivers that met, where one 
flowed into the other. One of the men in conversation mentioned 
the names of both rivers; only one was retained in my memory, 
and that was the Sacramento. 

SCENE 11. 

I was lying on the floor of a house close to the ground, look¬ 
ing out of the front door; a woman sat near me in a rocking 
chair; we were alone and all was quiet. The country in front of 
me as I viewed it, was vast plains; the only elevation that I could 
see was a short distance from the house that formed a low r , long 
hill to my left, that terminated a little to my right, as it appeared: 
there was a stream of water at the base of the hill, an overflow 
from some creek or river. The only house I could see in any di¬ 
rection excepting the one I was in, was what appeared to be an 
old weather-beaten house that stood on the hill, facing the brow, 
a short distance from my left; a one-story house, having a door 
in the center and a window on each side, in front; the side that I 
could see, had neither door nor window; this house had been 
painted or whitewashed at some former date, that had then nearly 
disappeared from it. I could see no shrubbery or trees; there 
had been grass on the plains in its season, that was then dry ana 
dead. To my surprise, there suddenly burst upon the scene about 
six hunting dogs, running around the house on the hill, jumping 
and biting at it frantically, as though desperate to rescue one or 
more from some tragedy within; though I neither saw any person 
nor heard any sound from the place-only the barking of the dogs, 
that I remember. During this excitement, there came rushing .in¬ 
to the house where we were, a woman inquiring of the one sitting 

in the rocking chair near me: 


14 LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 

“Do you know who lives in that house on the hill and who 
those dogs belong to barking around the house?” 

The other replied: 

“They’re Wilder’s folks—Wilder’s folks always keep dogs.” 

This is all I remember of this scene. More mention will be 
made of the place of this scene of a later date. 

SCENE 12. 

I was standing alone in a yard looking through two opposite 
doorways of a barn containing hay; saw a wicked-faced man 
sneaking along on the opposite side, acting as though he had done 
mischief, or was contemplating mischief of some kind, whose 
face and actions caused me to feel afraid. I saw and recognized 
this man at another place later, who I at a later date learned was 
a Mexican; though no more of this scene remains in memory. 

SCENE 13. 

As impressed in memory, there were four of us in a lamp- 
lighted room; a man sitting in a chair, whose face at this place 
I did not retain in memory; a woman sitting on a lounge; a wo¬ 
man sitting in a rocking chair holding me on her lap, whose face 
I retained in memory for several years, one I had traveled with, 
one like a fond mother to me. I understood from their conver¬ 
sation that we had been traveling and had arrived at the same 
house that evening, remembering the one on the lounge said to 
the one holding me: 

“Let me lay the child on the bed, so you can rest; you must be 
tired after your long ride.” 

“No,” said the one holding me, “I don’t think she will stay 
away from me.” 

The one on the lounge annoyed us by requesting every few 
minutes, it seems to me, to lay me on “the bed,” pretending to be 
solicitous of the welfare of the one holding me. Once I fell 
asleep and awoke in time to find myself on a bed as one was leav¬ 
ing the bedroom and closed the door. I could hear them talking 
in the next room, and anxious to be with the one occupying the 
rocking chair, caught hold of the bed clothes, letting myself down 
by sliding (I was too small to get off the bed any other way) 
hastened to the one occupying the rocking chair. 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


15 


“I didn’t think slie would stay away Trom me,” she said, look¬ 
ing pleased that I had not; lifted me again on her lap and clasped 
her arms around me tighter than before. I loved her too much 
to forget her, though I was less then than three years old. The 
impression she left in my heart and memory was, that she was a 
sweet, dear little woman; the first and only one I could remember 
like a mother to me. What can be more to a little helpless child 
than a fond and loving mother? Readers, she disappeared that 
night_she never returned to me again in visible form. To de¬ 

scribe my consternation, grief and suffering from her loss, is 
more than I can attempt to do. I listened and watched anxiously 
as a little child does for its mother’s return, day after day, living 
in hopes that she would return. With arms around me, I listened 
to her voice and the conversation until I remembered no more 
that night. Readers, this must have been my mother—I cannot 
think otherwise, and will, therefore, name her in this book, My 

Mother. 


SCENE 14. 

As impressed in memory, it was the morning after SCENE 13, 

I awoke, finding myself alone in a room, on a bed with all my 
clothes on, with a quilt spread over me. I knew the house, slid off 
the bed and hastened to find My Mother, whom I expected to 
find. Opening the door to the adjoining room—to my surprise, 
there stood a taller, larger woman than My Mother, who had no 
resemblance to her, only she was a white woman, with what ap¬ 
peared to be short, thin, curly faded black hair, having no lustre, 
whereas My Mother was a small woman, who had long, light- 
colored hair; was also a white woman, with a face much pleasanter 
and I thought better looking than this woman—a stranger; anc 
in the room where I had expected to find My Mother; neverthe¬ 
less I recognized her face to be that of the one I had last seen 
talkin' 3 ' to My Mother in the lamp-lighted room. I inquired of her 
for the absent one I loved-My Mother. To my astonishment 
this stranger denied all knowledge of the absent one and others 
I was doing my best to describe to her in my childish way, ex¬ 
pecting she would interest herself to find My Mother for me. 

“You are going to be my girl now, she said. 


16 LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 

I talked very earnestly to convince her that I was not her 
girl, that I belonged to the woman I was inquiring about, plead¬ 
ing with her to find the absent one for me. Her only response 
to any and all of my questions was: 

“You’re going to be my girl now.” 

I stood, gazed at her smiling face, a smile that I hated; 
listened to her sentence that sounded cruel to me, like stabs to 
my heart, when she repeated: 

“You’re my girl now.” 

From fright, grief and aggravation, I cried and screamed 
for the absent one, until I well remember the stranger gave me 
a slap—something entirely new to me, when I from fright tried to 
make my escape from her, running through the front door-way 
that was open and rolled down the steps, being too small to run 
down them. This is all that I remember of this scene—one that 
made a lasting impression in my memory that time has never 
effaced. This scene is not only true—it was one that caused me 
to remember my second meeting with this woman; to hate her in 
my heart and to remember that she was not my mother—nor like 
her. 

SCENE 15. 

It was in the same house where I missed My Mother, with the 
same mean woman I found the following morning; was standing 
in a chair crying, broken-hearted, crying for My Mother who had 
not returned, while this woman was combing my hair. A man 
entered the room, she said to me: 

“This is Dave.” 

Being pleased to hear the name, expecting to see one that I 
knew, was surprised and disappointed, when looking up, finding 
the man was a stranger—one with a face I disliked—a dark-faced 
man, too dark to rightly be called a white man. 

The woman then said to him, that I remember: 

“Dave, I wish you’d take her out for a walk. Do try and 
pacify her—I’m tired of hearing her cry.” 

This stranger then took me out for a short walk on the same 
block, where we entered a yard and talked with a woman on her 
door-steps, who did not invite us into her house. Some of their 
conversation I remember as follows: 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


17 


“Where did you get the child?” 

Dave replied: 

“She’s my little gal,” 

The woman laughed at the idea and replied: 

“You can’t make me think that child is your’s. Where’ve you 
kept her? This is my first to see her. She has no resemblance to 
either you or your wife.” 

Then she laughed again—a peculiar laugh—that I remembered. 
It was no laughing matter to me; knowing this man as a stranger, 
and that I belonged to people who were gone. Why they were 
gone, what had become of them, was more than I could then form 
any idea of. 

SCENE 16. 

I was in a room with two women; the name of one was Mrs. 
McVey, the name of the other at this scene is disconnected in my 
memory, though well I remember that it was during, or neai this 
space of time, that I heard the name Mrs. Upham, often so often 
that I have always remembered it. As impressed in memory, Mrs. 
McVey had called with her little girl—my size to the same house 
to visit, where her little girl and I were sitting on the floor play- 
ing with toys; when one asked me to give my favorite toy, a little 
wheel, to Mrs. McVey’s little girl; against this Mrs. McVey 

protested, saying: 

“I pity her, because she is an orphan—I feel so sorry toi 
orphans! I think all should be done that can be done, to help her 
to forget her misfortune. 

To this remark the other one replied of me: 

“I think she will outgrow it, and will forget it in time.” 

The names Mrs. Upham and Mrs. McVey ceased to be men- 
tioned in my hearing prior to the year 1867. Who they were 
where they lived, where I was during this scene, is more than 1 
remember or have since found out; though on account of the place 
of some other scenes, I think probably it was somewhere in, or 
not far from Napa County, California. 

SCENE 17. 

I was at the old house (for it was an old one) where I had 
missed and lost My Mother and with the woman I found in the 


18 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


same house the following morning, whom I tried to run away 
from and rolled down the steps; this woman had taught me to 
address h«r as “Laura.” The same man was there mentioned in 
SCENE 15, whom she had taught me to address as “Dave .” I later 
learned that this man was her husband. I had been away from 
this house, having arrived that day or the night before, at the 
time of this scene. 

It was a warm summer day; Dave and I were sitting in the 
yard, when a stranger to me came and inquierd of Dave: 

“Where’s the men now?” 

To this inquiry Dave replied: 

“They’re down on the plains with the cattle.” 

This was all that was said by them that I remember and the 
man took his departure. Soon after he had gone, Laura came 
around the corner of the house and complained to Dave that “Fido 
had been sucking eggs.” Fido was a little, yellow pet dog of 

mine. Dave said: 

“I’ll break ’im of suckin’ eggs 1” 

I then saw a piece of iron in his hand with which he grabbed 
Fido, cruelly and unmercifully beat him to death in front of my 
face. I screamed and pleaded with him to spare my little dog, to 
which he paid no attention and against which Laura made no 
protest, she being the cause of it. I caught a glimpse of the 
smile on her face that I hated—that I later learned was the smile 
of a fiend. I remember no more of this scene. This is the first 
that I remember of seeing Dave’s brutality. I was too horrified 
and grieved over the loss and cruel death of my dog to forget the 
occurrence. 3 

SKETCH 1. 

I continued to reside with the couple who taught me to 
address them as Dave and Laura, in the same old house where 
I missed and lost My Mother. I later learned that this old house 
was located at a lower end and thinly populated part of Napa City, 
Napa County, California, and it also came to my memory, that I had 
known this house when a couple carried me there in their arms; 
when the front entrance to the house was through an oak grove; 
when the place was for the most part situated in an oak grove; 
that an addition of two rooms had been added to it since then; 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


19 


that all this was prior to when I had so unfortunately seen and 
met the couple who had taught me to address them as Dave and 
Laura. The front of this place I remembered since I saw this 
latter couple, had always faced the Napa River, that was near the 
space of 80 feet from the front fence to the river bank; the yard 
around the house then comprised two lots that were covered with 
fruit trees; in one corner of the then front yard was a story and 
a half barn. When I first knew this place, there were no houses 
or fences near it. 

I had only resided with Dave and Laura a very short space 
of time when I saw and recognized a Mr. Frost, whom I had seen 
at some other place and prior date. He called to see Laura at 
intervals near together several times, on business, apparently, 
though Dave was never at home that I remember when he called at 
the old house, when he signed what appeared to be, as impressed 
in memory, legal papers of some kind for her. When he had 
made several calls, I saw him no more, neither knew or heard 
where his place of residence was, and his name ceased to be 
spoken altogether in my hearing. I was so small when I last saw 
him call at the old house to see her, that she, in all probability, 

thought I had forgotten all about him. 

This Mr. Frost, as I remembered him, was neither a tall nor 

short man; his hair and whiskers were dark and streaked with 
gray: his eyes were dark and bright—one of quick movements, 
he was lame in one knee or foot, walked with a cane and limped 

while walking. 

SKETCH 2. 


It was in the morning near the month of January, for the 
shrubs and trees had not yet taken on leaf; the grass was wet 
and green; it was not summer weather. Dave, Laura and I were 
in the front room of the old house by the Napa river, when we 
heard raps on the front door. Dave opened the door, where a 
tall, thin, large-framed man with black hair and whiskers a dark 
face with a little dark-faced girl standing by his side-both 
strangers to me; though Dave and Laura knew them. Dave 
almost shouted as he shook hands with the man: 

“Hi are ya George! When did ya arrive! 

To this question the dark-faced man replied: 


Lr. - v . 


20 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


“We arrived last night.” 

When Dave had invited him in, and he had shaken hands 
with Laura and exchanged some conversation, their attention 
turned to us two little girls; when they told me the little dark¬ 
faced girl was my “cousin May;” that the dark-faced man with 
her—an entire stranger to me—was my “Uncle George.” He was 
dressed in American clothes, spoke English, though he was not 
a white man, whatever he was. I was a light-complexioned white 
child and had lived with white people prior to when I saw and 
knew Dave and Laura. The little girl and I were the same height 
and I well remember of the dark-faced man saying his little girl 
was “three years old,” said he thought we must be about the same 
age, because we were the same size, and there could be but little 
difference in our ages. I understood by their conversation that 
not any of them knew my exact age. Dave told George he wanted 
to talk to him on business, when Dave, George, May and I went 
out for a walk a short distance from the house. They were all 
strangers to me, and being anxious to know about people I was 
compelled to live with, I eagerly listened to their conversation 
some of which was retained in my memory. They were talking 
about cattle selling, in which men by the names of Hiram and 
Harrison were aiding them, who they said were their brothers.' 
Dave, when speaking of Hiram, abbreviated the name, saying Hi, 
though George, when speaking of the same person, always said 
Hiram. This was my first to hear the names Hiram and Harrison, 
being new names to me then, and was my first to hear that the 
stranger I was taught to address as Dave, had brothers, namely, 
George, Hiram and Harrison; my first also to hear that I had a 
cousin May. 

Soon after this call—it might have been the following day, 
Laura took me with her to call on one she told me was her sister 
Lucy, and was my aunt Lucy. This was my first to see and meet 
Lucy, that I had any knowledge of. She was a stranger to me 
then. Laura proved to be very dilligent and particular to have 
me address and speak of them as uncle George, aunt Lucy and 
cousin May, though very neglectful of me in many other matters 
that would be to my welfare and interest. Lucy was what is 
called a white woman. At a later time I learned that she was the 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


21 


wife of George and the mother of his children. May was dark 
like her father, and resembled him. 

I was the only child with Dave and Laura when I first resided 
with them, though I was comparatively a stranger with them, 
when a boy, who must have been not less than eight years my 
senior, if not more, arrived at the old house after dark one 
evening. He was new to me, and according to the way he talked 
and acted, I was new to him. He was a white boy, though not as 
light complexioned as I was. He talked with Dave and Laura as 
though acquainted with them before meeting that evening. Soon 

after his arrival, Laura said to him: 

“George, we’re going out to spend the evening and you must 
take care of her till we come back. Try to pacify her and don’t 
let her cry.” 

I was contiually fretting and crying for My Mother and 
others missing. 

George, as I remember, endeavored to do what he could to 
amuse me that evening, asked me what my name was and vai ioiu 
other questions that I have forgotten. At some of my answers 
George laughed. There being doubts in my opinion that George 
was acting properly by laughing, I inquired why he laughed. 

George replied: 

“Because you’re such a funny little girl.” 

Dave and Laura taught me that this boy was my brother 
George represented me to be his sister. 

SKETCH 3. 

Dave took me up town one day to his blacksmith shop, where 
I saw a number of dark-faced men, who I then thought must 
belong to the same kind of people that he and uncle George did, 
because they were dark like they were. Some of them came out 
of the shop and asked Dave who I was, to which Dave replied: 

“She’s my little gal.” 

The men laughed as though it was a joke, greeting me 
friendly. 

While we were standing on the sidewalk in front of the 
shop a man on horse-back drove up to the sidewalk and spo e 
to Dave, who Dave cursed and swore at, threatened to beat to 


22 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


death, because he said he was drunk. His name, I learned and 
remembered from their conversation, was Net Cottrel. 

SKETCH. 4. 

Dave came home one day and complained to Laura: 

“I’m so worried I don’t know what to do. The Court re¬ 
quires me to give the children’s correct ages. I don’t know ’em, 
and I don’t know what to do about it.” 

Laura said in reply: 

“I’ll look in the green bible—they might be there.” 

Dave and Laura spoke of George and I as “the children.” 
We were the only two that lived with them then and not having 
knowledge of any other children they were interested in, I under¬ 
stood as a matter of course, that he referred to no others than 
George and I. 

A small Jersey cow and a mare they called “Jule” was 
brought to the place. I recognized them both and had seen them 
at some former date and place that I could not then recall to 
memory. They also had with them a large, gilt-edged, green- 
backed bible, that was the only one I ever saw in their possession 
—one that I never saw either of them read. Whether they found 
the ages of George or me recorded there or not, was more than 
I learned. 

SKETCH 5. 

When I first resided with Dave and Laura in Napa City, 
their only intimate friends and associates whom I knew, were 
a family by the name of Church. Mrs. Church and Laura often 
visited each other. The Church family then resided in a two- 
story house that stood off by itself at a far end of the town, 
very nearly in line with the lower end of a bend in the river, that 
I at a later date heard spoken of as Jack’s Bend. Between Jack’s 
Bend and residence, later, there was a tannery erected, where 
quite a number were employed. 

Mr. Church was a small man, who resembled a Mexican— 
he might have been a Mexican. I liked this Church family; Mrs. 
Church was a motherly kind of a woman and Mr. Church, when 
we found him at home, would dance me on his knee, when I 
would try to pull his whiskers; we were the best of company and 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


23 


I was always glad to be with Mr. and Mrs. Church while they 
lived in Napa. I do not remember of any one of this family ever 
speaking a cross word to me. They had then a daughter and 
sons grown. Laura often took me with her to their home to visit, 
where I listened and learned from their conversation, being 
anxious always to get information in regards to My Mother and 
other absent ones. During these visits I learned from the con¬ 
versation of Laura and members of the Church family, that Mr. 
Church and sons were aiding Dave with cattle on the plains and 
were helping him sell them, though I neither knew nor heard 
them say at any time what plains they referred to, or to whom 
the cattle belonged to. Their back yard then contained piles of 
cattle-hides and was strung with lines of beef they were drying. 

I remember that George at this time was going to school and 
was drawing maps. 

This Church family then as I knew them consisted of, namely: 

Mr. M. J. Church 

His wife, .Mrs. Church 

Their son . Lorenzo Church 

Their daughter .Lodema Church 

Their son,.George Church 

Their son, .John Church 

Their daughter, .Susie Church 

Their daughter,.Maria Church 

Their daughter, .Amanda Church 

Later, a woman visited with them in Napa, who gave her 
name there as Mrs. Ellsworth, who was said to be a sister of 
Mrs. M. J. Church. 

SKETCH 6. 

From all I remember, I must have given Laura no small 
amount of annoyance, fretting, crying and asking her about the 
absent ones. Her face was the last I had seen and recognized 
with My Mother and the only one I knew of who I had seen 
talking with any one of them. I, therefore, thought her to be 
the only one who might have any knowledge of them. I would 
tell her about a man and woman I had known, and described 
places I traveled with them, asking if she had ever seen them or 
the places I described. 










24 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


“Yes,” she would say, “You was with Dave and me when 
we was crossing the plains. You fell out of a high-chair onto a 
kettle and got hurt. You was delirous for a while and when you 
come to, you forgot us and thought you had been with some¬ 
body else, and you've imagined it ever since.” 

George told me also that he knew nothing about the people 
I was telling him about 

Laura said she thought I would be better off at school, and 
George took me to school with him to the “College Institute” of 
Napa County, at some date during the year of I8oo. My teacher 
then was Miss Dixon, who taught the smallest children of the 
school. 

I was too young and fretted too much about the absent ones 
to know what was expected of a scholar at school, to sit quiet in 
my seat like the other scholars, and was therefore a nuisance 
at the school. I waded in water and over wet ground gathering 
wild sorrel, that I carried into the schoolroom to eat and give to 
the other scholars during school hours; where I pulled off my 
shoes and stockings when wet and uncomfortable, that I then 
thought proper and right. I afforded too much amusement for 
the other small scholars in school, and the teacher decided it 
would be best to allow me to play in the yard most of the time. 
The principal of the College then was a Mr. Turner. He with his 
family, that I knew, resided in the school building. It was a 
school for boarders and day scholars, ranging from seven to 
twenty-five years of age—or more. The teachers were kind to 
me at the “College Institute,” Mrs. Turner, the Principal’s wife, 
often taking me into her sitting-room, where she dried my clothe^ 
when wet. Older pupils often asked her why so young a child as 
I went to school. I have heard her reply to this question: 

“The only reason I know of or can think of, is that they 
want to get out of the bother of taking care of her at home. They 
told me she was seven years old when they brought her to school, 
but she is no larger than my little Annie, and does not look or 
appear to be a child more than four and a half—not over five, 
at the most ” 

“No,” said some of the larger scholars, “she does not look 
to be more.” 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


25 


Dave took me with him to see the closing exercises of the 
school, when I remember of wearing the little white dress de¬ 
scribed in SCENE 9. 

Dave took me walking a number of times, showing me to 
people and telling them: 

“She’s my little gal.” 

One day we returned home from a walk, when he notified 
Laura that he would not “be seen out with me again.” 

Dave said very earnestly to Laura: 

“It won’t do. People laugh and have too much to say. I don't 
like their way of laughing. I don’t propose to be made a fool 
of. And I’ve made up my mind to run things to suit myself, after 
this. I’m afraid the way you’re managing things you’ll git us 

in trouble.” 

The SCENES and previous SKETCHES all took place prior 
to the year of 1867. 

SKETCH 7. 

According to circumstances and what I heard Laura say later, 
Louis, a son of Dave and Laura, was born sometime during the 
latter part of the year 1865, in the same old house by the Napa 
river, Napa City, Napa County, California. There can be no 
doubt or question that Louis was the natural son of Dave and 
Laura, and there was all to indicate from Dave’s actions, that he 
was his first child I well remember the first time I saw Louis. 
It was after dark in the evening when Dave brought him into the 
kitchen to show him to George and I, looking pleased and proud. 

Smiling, he spoke boldly: 

“What do ya think of my boy—he just arrived?” 

“George,” he said, “he might be hungry—git some milk and 
warm it! Give me a spoon and I’ll see if he’ll drink a little milk!” 

An infant was a curiousity to me then and I was anxious to 
see Dave feed the infant. When Dave had spilt several spoon- 
fulls of milk over its mouth and clothes, he said. 

“I guess he aint hungry. I’ll carry ’im back to Larry.” 

After Louis’ arrival, George and I found it necessary when 
Dave was at home, to be very cautious about all we said and did 
that might disturb, annoy or excite Louis, particularly about go¬ 
ing near or making any noise that Dave could get excuse to say 


26 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


we annoyed or disturbed Louis; for Louis, apparently, was the 
only child in existance to Dave from the time he entered the home 
until his departure. Fortunately for George and I, this ruffian 
and bad man was often absent from home for days and weeks at 
a time. When he did put in an appearance, it was generally in 
the evening, after dark, and he was liable to burst forth at us 
any time with profanity that filled the air of the house of his 
presence. 


SKETCH 8. 

We moved from the old house by the Napa river into a new 
house on Third street, opposite the Court House Square, Napa 
City. There was Tme vacant lot then between our residence and 
the corner of Third and Brown streets. On this corner stood 
a story and a half, unpainted building, having the appearance of 
a livery stable, then used for a blacksmith shop, where Dave’s 
business was to carry on blacksmithing and cursing. Laura later 
told me Dave was no mechanic, couldn’t make two things alike 
to save his life; always hired a competent mechanic and got false 
credit for work done. 

Dave was a strong, well-muscled man—one who could weild 
a mighty blow with a sledge hammer; he appeared out of place ; 
at large; he possessed small, round eyes, situated closer together 
than average—on the alert as though watching for someone, or 
lest some searching party might purposely or accidently discover 
him. Dave inquired of strangers who came to his shop: 

“Hi are ya, stranger? Where are ya from?” 

If the stranger said he was from most any state other than 
Vermont, Dave would stand a little straighter and boldly inform 
him: 

“I’m a Vermonter! I’m one o’ the ‘Green Mountain’ boys!” 

Dave kept a gang of men in and around his shop called Mex¬ 
icans—his helpers, witnesses and associates. 

Dave became the proud father of another son, born in the 
Third street house during the year of 1867, whom he named 
Caesar, but Laura re-named him Augustus. 

A Mr. Leach had a small shop next to Dave’s blacksmith 
shop then, where he was making wagon wheels for Dave. 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


27 


On Main street, Napa City, a short distance from Dave’s 
blacksmith shop, was a small shop that was run in the name of 
Dave’s brother, George, where wagon wheels were said to be made 
or repaired. According to remarks I heard from Laura in some 
of her angry and uncautious moods, some older and more exper¬ 
ienced heads than mine was then, might infer, that neither Dave 
nor his brother George grew weary from hard labor in either 
of their places of business—in other words, were ‘blinds.” 

THE WICKED-LOOKING MAN. 

Dave’s blacksmith shop was the place where I later saw the 
man described in SCENE 12. He appeared to be one of Dave’* 
most trusty aids. Dave and Laura spoke of and addressed this 
man in my presence always by the name of Frank Cripe. The 
last and only place I remember of seeing him after SCENE 12 was 
in or near Dave’s blacksmith shop, 1867. 

Erom all appearances, what I heard them say, and heard Laura 
say later, Dave could neither read nor write his name during and 
prior to the year of 1867. When residents of the Third street 
house I was often present when Laura jwirote blacksmithing 
accounts in a book for him and at times when he wanted infor¬ 
mation from his accounts, would get the book or tell her to get it 
and read accounts for him, indications that he could neither read 
nor write It was during the summer of 1867, when making out 
bills for him, that I heard him say more than once to Laura: 

“Be sure and sign my name from now on, ‘David A. Manuel.’ ” 

This was when and how I learned that he had the surname of 
Manuel, having known him by no other name prior to this summer 
than Dave. I then recognized the name that had brought back 
to memory that I had seen and had known a David Manuel at 
some time prior to when I knew this couple who had taught me 
to address them by the names, Dave and Laura. 

It is natural to like to be with those you like or love, who are 
congenial to your nature; to wish to be with them, to think 
about them when absent, to be interested in their welfare—par¬ 
ticularly when you are being held like a troublesome prisoner, 
wondering what your fate will be from day to day. Incidents 
and occurences of love, grief, wonder, fear and disappointments 


28 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


are more impressible in the memory when in the extreme, than 
those of passive mood. My experience with Dave and Laura 
were to the extreme. There were incidents, occurrences and 
parts of conversation accurately retained in my memory from 
a small child, that the average person could not so accurately 
remember and describe. I was, from the first that I saw Laura, 
mistrustful of her to some extent, and most of the time afraid of 
her to some degree, learning to study her face and disposition, 
her changeable moods, words and remarks now and then—ques¬ 
tionable, as to their true meaning or what she meant by them. J 
was more afraid of her at first than of Dave; but the more I saw 
and heard him, the worse I found him to be; until the short time 
I was a resident under the same roof with him, he grew in my 
estimation to be the most brutal, profane and dangerous person 
I could imagine—defenseless child that I was. I was small and 
young looking, for one of the age Laura represented me to be, 
though she no doubt had an object in misrepresenting my age. 
However, I learned more and more as I grew older, that she 
often contradicted her accounts, often told truth combined with 
error in a manner as to baffle, deceive, that often gave false and 
injurious impressions. Some said it was difficult for her to 
remember what she told last; nevertheless, I learned that she 
could tell some accounts straight, year after year 

I was anxiously expecting some absent one would appear 
and take me away from Dave and Laura. I neither thought nor 
could realize that I had seen them for the last time. I thought it 
queer that this man I was in the custody of, had the same name 
as the missing David Manuel, was puzzled as to what had become 
of him. The most intimate friends of this couple, the Church 
family and Lucy and George, addressed them in my presence as 
Dave and Laura, so that I do not remember of hearing the name 
Manuel while with them prior to the summer of 1867. Being more 
or less afraid of them I had no more to say to them than necessary, 
only when inquiring for the absent ones. It appeared conclus¬ 
ively that neither of them suspected or detected how much I might 
understand or remember of what I saw or heard. 

We were residents together in the Third street house only 
during the year of 1867. It was then that I was a silent and only 
witness to several interviews apart, that took place mornings at 



LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


29 


the kitchen door as breakfast was over when Dave was leaving 
the house to go to the shop. I cannot be certain as to the month, 
though from what I remember, it was summer, and I think July 
or August, when I heard the last one. Some parts of their con¬ 
versation that was repeated during these interviews I well re¬ 
member, that were as follows: 

Laura looked anxious and troubled when she called for Dave 
to wait at the kitchen door, where she inquired of him: 

“What are we going to do about that land back there?” 

Dave had an uncertain and troubled expression on his face 
when he answered her question: 

I’m lookin’ every day for a letter. I think we ken coax Chan 
out here. If we ken git ’im out here—-we ken fix ’im. I think 
we ken do it all right—without there bein’ too many questions 
asked We ken make up a little story that’ll satisfy the public.” 

Another interview—Laura followed Dave to the kitchen door 

—anxiously demanded of him: 

“What are we going to do about that land back there? I’m 

so worried—I can’t rest night or day.” 

Dave looked fierce and troubled, glared at her and the floor 
alternately, paused to consider—answered: 

“I’m as much worried as you! We sent letters—but we’ve 
got no answer yet. I’ll git the men together and see what ken be 

done.” 

Another interview—Laura rushed excitedly to overtake Dave 
at the door—demanded of him: 

“What are we going to do about that land back there? Have 
you heard from Chandler Manuel yet ? 

I particularly noticed and remembered at this question, Dave’s 
face took on a more ugly and deliberate expression than before- 

answered : 

“I got the men together; we talked the matter over thorough¬ 
ly; we all agreed on one thing: We’ve got to git Chan out here 
to save ourselves—there’s no other way it ken be done. We ken 
make up a little story to satisfy the public.” 

To this final and last proposition and conclusion, Laura 
agreed; it appeared to be satisfactory to her. Dave’s face then 
took on a more pleased expression, looked bolder, stood a little 


30 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


straighter and gave information that caused Laura’s face to look 
more encouraged, when he announced: 

“We fixed up a letter and sent it this time that I feel pretty 
sure’ll bring ’im. I’ve sent for Hi, and we’re all on the lookout 
to see he don’t git here without our knowin’ it.” 

This was also good news to me then, for I recognized the 
name, Chandler Manuel; had heard the name Chandler abbreviated 
to Chan, understanding that Chan meant Chandler; that when 
Laura said Chandler Manuel and Dave said Chan, they meant 
one and the same person, namely, Chandler Manuel. My memory 
was at this time and place recalled to my understanding then, that 
Chandler Manuel belonged in some way to the absent ones I 
longed to be with, though this was the first time I had heard 
the name spoken since I had found myself in the care of Dave and 
Laura; therefore, the expected arrival of Chandler Manuel, as I 
understood, was the best and most encouraging news to me that 
I had heard since finding myself with them, feeling confident 
and certain that when Chandler Manuel called to see them, he 
would take me away from them. I was too little to understand 
plots of crime or its causes, supposing it was necessary for them 
to talk to Chandler Manuel and get his consent for them to sell 
some land located somewhere East that he was in control of, not 
having any thought of their doing him harm, not knowing any 
cause, or understanding the meaning or their expressions when 
they spoke of coaxing him out to California. 

A STRANGE OCCURRENCE. 

Understanding from the conversation of Dave and Laura that 
Chandler Manuel’s daily arrival was expected, I anxiously looked 
day after day to meet him. As impressed in memory, it was very 
soon after I heard the last interview of Dave and Laura in regards 
to him, when an incident occurred that was new to me, as follows: 

Laura and I were in the dining room when we observed an 
elderly man, apparently , with white hair and a long white beard, 
pass the window to the kitchen door steps, went to the door that 
was open and knocked Laura’s eyes and actions were like one 
afraid he would see her. Concealing herself behind the dining 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


31 


room door, she told me to go to the door and “see what the man 
wanted.” 

The stranger said he had been walking, was tired, and asked 
if he could sit on the steps to rest and eat his lunch? Laura then 
came to the door and told him that “he could sit there if he liked.” 
From his coat pocket he took a small package, seated himself on 
the door-steps and began eating his lunch. He acted restless, only 
eating a few mouthfuls, when he handed me a tin cup requesting 
that I get him a cup of water, which 1 brought, from which he 
drank. The stranger did not resume his lunch, but surprised me 
by placing a hand on my head, which brought Laura to the door; 
with startled glances she watched and listened to the stranger 
pronounce a blessing on me. Turning to Laura he inquired: 

“Whose child is this?” 

To this question she replied: 

“She's my child.” 

Pronouncing a curse on all who wronged me, he said to her: 

“Take good care of her lest a curse fall on you.” 

He then took his departure without saying another word. 
For several days after his call, Laura was more silent and ap 
peared to be meditating more than usual. 

A STRANGE OCCURRENCE. 

I well remember that George and I were residents of the old 
house by the Napa river, and think it was prior to the year of 

1867_I know it was a short time prior to, or after that year, when 

George and I were standing a short distance from the old house ; 
when a man met us, whose face I thought I had seen at some prior 
date; I know I had seen a face that resembled his. George knew 
him, apparently, for he greeted him with: 

“Hello, Jeff! Here’s Nellie, Jeff!” 

Then the man whose name and identity I could not recall to 

memory, smiled and said: 

“How do you do, Nellie?” 

This stranger to me then, had a very earnest expression to 
his face and sound to his voice, while he conversed with George_ 

“George,” he said, “won’t you tell me where your father is. 
I would like very much to see him—I must see him. When will 
he be at home?” 


32 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


George replied: 

“No, I don’t know where he is, or when he will be at home. 
I don’t think it will do you any good to talk to him.” 

The stranger asked George if he couldn’t see his mother. “I 
would like to talk to her,” he said. 

To this George replied: 

“I feel sure it will do you no good.” 

A few days later, the same man met us on the same corner, 
when their conversation was very much the same—only more in¬ 
tense, the stranger pleading with George harder than before, to 
give him some idea as to how and where he could get to see his 
father and mother? George remaining firm, said: 

“It won’t do you any good to talk to them. Take my advise 
and keep away from them.” 

A disappointed and sad expression came to the stranger’s 
face. I thought I remembered there were tears in his eyes when 
he left us—that was the last time I saw this man, that I can re¬ 
member. I noticed there was a resemblance between his face 
and mine. When he was gone, I inquired of George as to who he 
was (?) to which George replied: 

“His name is Jeff Chandler.” 

I did not at this time understand the meaning of the words 
father or mother, did not hear the words mentioned, as George 
addressed the couple we lived with as Dave and Laura; the same 
as I was taught. My curiosity being aroused, I inquired of 
George the meaning of father and mother (?) ; who the man meant, 
when he asked to see his father and mother. 

George replied: 

“He meant Dave and Laura Dave and Laura are my father 
and mother.” 

I asked George why he didn’t tell the man where he could 
find Dave and Laura? ? 

“I didn’t want him to see them,” said George. 

This man, George told me, was Jeff Chandler. He was a white 
man, a little above the average in height; was rather broad shoul¬ 
dered, though not fleshy; his eyes were blue and hair brown; he 
was neatly dressed and gentlemanly appearing. 



LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


33 


SKETCH 9. 

A MYSTERIOUS MURDER WAS COMMITTED. 

While daily expecting the arrival of Chandler Manuel, I 
became the silent and only visible witness to a conversation of 
Dave and Laura, at sun-down, during supper hour, most of which 
I remember, that was as follows: 

As Dave was being seated at the supper table, Laura inquired 
of him: 

“How is the man getting along?” 

“I don’t think ther’s any need to worry,” said Dave, “I feel 
pretty sure he’ll never come too to tell his name. We ware on the 
outlook for ’im when he come in the shop, whare he got a 
blow on his head that felled ’im to the ground. He never spoke 
or come too after he fell. We took everything off of ’im; we 
changed his clothes an’ put workin’ clothes on ’im; we then sent 
’im to Frank Rainey’s and sent for a doctor.” 

Laura’s face, actions, giving Dave troubled and inquiring 
glances, aroused him. Dave continued : 

“The doctor come and examined his head and said the man’s 
skull was crushed and he couldn’t live. The doctor said he had no 
hopes the man would ever come too to tell his name or give any 
account of ’imself.” 

Laura frowned and looked displeased at Dave. Dave en¬ 
deavoring to re-assure her, proceeded: 

“More’n that: I left a trusty man—I know I ken trust, to 
watch ’im And I know if he does come too, he can’t do nothin’ 
without my knowin’ it—I come pretty near knowin’ what I’m talk¬ 
in’ about.” 

A relieved expression came to Laura’s face, and Dave ap¬ 
parently taking courage continued: 

“Harrison acted nobly— stepped right up and took all the 
blame on ’imself to save the rest of us—and you know we’re as 
guilty as he is. I put ’im on my best mare, give ’im money and 
victuals. And I feel pretty sure he’s in safe quarters by this time 

and the officers won’t git ’im.” 

No regret for this premeditated, planned and brutally exe¬ 
cuted murder was expressed, by either of them, lo the opposite. 
Laura’s face took on a fiendish smile that showed too clearly 


34 LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 

with Dave’s actions and explanations, that her greatest fear and 
anxiety was, that the man might regain consciousness long enough 
to make his name and identity known. When Dave had satisfied 
her there was no danger of his making himself known, her face 
took on a smile of satisfaction. 

Neither of them mentioned or alluded to the murdered man’s 
name identity, the object or cause of the crime during this inter¬ 
view. Neither of them said or talked as though Harrison, Dave’s 
brother, was the one who struck the fatal blow that resulted in 
the man’s death. I took it as a matter of course that Dave was the 
guilty one, thinking it would be so much like him to have struck 
the man on the head with a sledge hammer. The Frank Rainey’s 
that Dave spoke of, was a hotel situated on the block opposite 
Dave’s blacksmith shop on Brown and Main streets. 

It was years after this interview before the thought entered 
my mind, that this murdered man, in all probability, was Chandler 
Manuel, not knowing any cause for his murder, and on account of 
the way I was raised. Understanding from what Dave said, that 
Laura, his brothers and others were as guilty of this crime as 
Harrison was, that they were in danger on account of it, fearing 
they would also murder me, should I give them any provoca¬ 
tion, I reasoned and considered that I could do no good by telling 
what I had heard, understanding that the murder was well known 
in Napa County; that the murdered man’s name was not known 
there; that his murderers were their own witnesses, who could 
refute any and all that I might know or say on the subject; sup¬ 
posing that my word would not be taken on account of being so 
small a girl and having no one to verify what I had heard and 
knew From the first to the last time I saw Laura and some years 
after, this interview or what was said during it, was not mentioned 
by me to anyone. I neither saw the name Chandler Manuel in 
print, saw it written or heard it spoken that I can remember 
(myself excepted), since I heard Laura speak it for the first and 
last time in conversation with her husband, Dave (the account of 
which is given in SKETCH 8), until some years after I had seen 
her for the last time. I was too frightened to move, speak or to let 
on as though I understood any part they were talking about, for 
fear they would kill me; had learned during my residence with 
them up to this time, that they were doubtful and dangerous char- 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


35 


acters—small as I was. I therefore began to learn to be secretive, 
to keep for the most part that I knew, saw and heard of them 
a secret, for my own protection; being among strangers, without 
friends to my knowledge, entirely dependent on those who had me 
in their care—at their mercy—not knowing what my fate might be 
from day to day, hoping, anxiously watching that some one of 
the absent ones I longed to be with, would come and rescue me 
from them. What could a little child do in my position? 

Why and what did they take off of the murdered man? Why 
did they change his clothes and put working clothes on him? 

Why were they so cautious and anxious to conceal his name 
and identity and not so careful to conceal the murder? 

Why were they particular to put working clothes on him? 

Was he a laboring man? 

Why were they “all as guilty as Harrison was?” 

Does not Dave’s own statement show that this was a pre¬ 
meditated, planned plot of crime and conspiracy, the true motive 
for which gave them more concern, worry and anxiety than to 
have the murder known (?) for which, they apparently had no re¬ 
morse. 

Did they take from their victim money, deeds to land or other 
property? 

Did they take from their victim papers relating to gang plow 
patents that proved to be valuable? 

People emigrating from the East to the West during the 
50’s and 60’s were in the habit of bringing with them pictures of 
relatives, deeds to land and property—if they had any,—money 
jewelry and other valuables and family relics. It is my opinion 
that this murdered man very probably carried with him papers of 
some kind to gang plow patents and other valuables, that were 
taken off of him before he was taken from Dave's shop; some of 
which he passed over to Laura for safe keeping; although the 
first I knew or heard of this murder was when I listened to their 
conversation at the supper table, during or near the month of 
September, 1867, that proved to be a very eventful and memor- 

iable year to me. 

Why was it necessary for Harrison, Dave’s brother, to take 
all the responsibility of the crime on himself to save the rest 
of them, if they were not guilty and implicated in the same 


36 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


crime? The said Harrison Manuel and said brother of David. 
George W and Hiram C., became a fugitive for this crime atld 
has never been apprehended for the same, as I was later informed 
by authorities on the subject. 

SKETCH 10 

After I heard the conversation of Dave and Laura about the 
murder committed in Dave’s blacksmith shop, I was present; 
twice, that I remember, when Laura was questioned by persons 
about the murder. By comparing her story with that of Dave’s, re¬ 
lated in SKETCH 9, is evident that she was representing the same 
murder that Dave was describing, though it shows how she told 
a story to baffle, deceive, to conceal the name and identity of the 
murdered man; to throw off suspicion as to the true cause and 
motive for the crime; to make it appear that the murder came 
about unpremeditated—like Dave had said prior to the murdei 
when speaking about Chan; that they could “make up a little 
story to satisfy the public.” It also affords an illustration of how 
Laura told truth with error to deceive and give false impressions 
as it suited her purposes. The account that I heard her relate 
of the murder was as follows: 

“A stranger, an Irishman, who had been working on a 
thrasher, out in the country, came to the blacksmith shop of my 
husband, David Manuel. He said he was out of a job, needed 
money, and asked if there wasn’t something he could do around 
the shop to earn a little money until he got another job? 

Some of the men-folks put him to work cleaning up the shop. 
He was a quarrelsome man, and Harrison, my husband’s brother, 
was quick-tempered. They got to quarreling over the work, 
when Harrison, in the heat of anger, struck the man with & 
shovel, harder than he thought, with no intention to kill. When 
Harrison saw the man fall, and saw he didn’t come to, he got 
scared for fear he had killed him, and fled for parts unknown 
to us.” 

Laura was questioned about the murdered man’s name, place 
of residence, where and by whom employed while working on the 
thrasher? She persistently answered to any and all of these 
questions to the sum and effect: 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


37 


He was a laboring - man and an Irishman. His name, who 
he was and where he came from, I know nothing about—only whi¬ 
ttle men-folks told me. He was a stranger to us; his name no one 
seems to know. He told the men-folks he had been working in 
the country on a thrasher—that’s all we know about it ” 

SKETCH 11. 

A few days after this murder in Dave’s blacksmith shop 
Laura complained to Dave about his “going around with Mis 
Ellsworth and spending money on her that she needed.” This 
Mrs. Ellsworth, according to the way they talked, was the said 
sister of Mrs. M. J. Church. 

One evening Dave accused Laura of “passing papers to gang 
plow patents,” over to George, that he had that day discovered 
very much to his aggravation and loss, though not the least hint 
was given that they were the true originators of them. I was 
impressed by listening to their conversation that Dave had only 
just discovered how valuable they might prove to be. They 
began then to quarrel nightly about Mrs. Ellsworth, “papers to 
gang plow .patents,, and “deeds.” Some of Dave’s expressions 
were oft’ and intensely repeated during these quarrels that Laura 
had me to hear I clearly remember language of Dave in regards 
to papers to gang plows, as follows: 

“They’re mine! Do ya understand? They’re mine! Because 
I got ’um fust! And you’ve robbed me of ’urn! You had no 
right to pass them gang plow papers over to George! You’ve 
robbed me of ’um!” 

I never heard them mention “papers to gang plow patents,” 
or anything about patents, until a few days after I heard Dave 
give an account of the murder committed in his blacksmith shop 
to Laura. During these quarrels, Dave said to Laura: 

“You’d better let me take Nellie and dispose of her—so she’ll 
give us no more worry and trouble ” 

To this proposition, Laura would not consent, and privately 
warned me to keep away from Dave, not to ask him any questions 
or answer any question he asked me; that when he asked me any 
questions, to say: “I don’t know,” which I obeyed. “He hates 
girls,” she said, “and you must stay close to me when he’s 

( 2 ) 


38 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


around. If he strikes you, he’s liable to kill you, or cripple you. 
He’s a bad man and can’t be trusted.” 

I liked their two little boys, Louis and Augustus. The 
thought of hurting or doing them any injury, had not entered my 
mind; though Dave had become so ugly and dangerous to me, 
that I was afraid to get near him or to get near his childre'L 
when he was present. Dave threatened to kill me several times 
during these quarrels, when Laura would say: 

“You miserable wretch! If you attempt to lay your hands 
on her—I’ll have you put behind the bars—where you belong!” 

Dave apparently thought there was danger of her carrying 
out her threat, this being the only thing she could say that pre¬ 
vented him from laying hands on me. One blow from his fist 
would have been enough to have killed me then and there. Da^e 
accused Laura of being treacherous; of working against his inter 
terests. He would exclaim: 

“I can’t trust you no longer! I’m afraid you’ll ditch the whoh 
of us!” 

* 

These quarrels grew more intense as they progressed nights 
in succession, filling the air of the room with the sound of angry 
threats, profanity, etc., making nights hideous for us. Fortun 
ately, I did not understand many of his words and expressions. 
The final and last of these quarrels Dave demanded of Laura: 

“Larry! You give up them deeds! I won’t trust you no 
longer! And I mean what I say! Do ya hear!” 

Laura refused to surrender the deeds Then Dave sprang 
out of his chair like an infuriated animal—gave her a slap across 
the forehead and she fell to the floor; where he stood glaring 
at her, then at me. Thinking my last chance to escape him had 
come, I fell against the wall, giving screams of fright in succes¬ 
sion—horrified—thinking he had killed her, and would kill me. 
To my surprise and relief, I saw him bring water and bathe her 
face and head, reviving her to consciousness. As she yet lay on 
the floor, Dave bending with clinched fists, demanded of he?*: 

“Larry, if you’ll give up them deeds, I’ll let you go; but if 
you refuse, I’ll fix you right here!” 

Laura knowing what he was, that it was her only chance for 
escape, said “Yes.” Dave, raising her to her feet, demanded 
of her: 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 39 

“Larry, show me where you’ve hid them deeds.” 

She told him they were buried under the house. I saw them 
go out of the house and return; he with a long buckskin purse 
filled with money, which he divided with her; she with a bundle 
from which she handed him some papers. 

“Is them the deeds?” he asked, not attempting to read them 
but rushed out of the house, as though hurrying to find some on: 
to read them for him to be certain they were the right papers. 

As soon as he had taken his departure, Laura led me out on 
the sidewalk in front of the house, where Mrs. Mudget, a next- 
door neighbor, met us, inquiring what the trouble was? 

“I heard screams and thought some one must be getting- 
hurt,” she said. 

Laura denied to her there had been any trouble, or any one 
hurt; though she admitted that I had screamed, and in explana¬ 
tion, said: 

“She’s such a nervous, excitable child, that she is liable to 

scream any time, and at most any thing. ’ 

It was a dark night, and it appears conclusive to me, that 
Laura went out on the sidewalk, so that in case any one came to 
inquire the cause of the trouble, they would not see the evidence 
of Dave’s brutality on her face, that might lead to his arrest, or 
too many inquiries as to the cause. Mrs. Mudget only remained 
with us a few minutes, when Laura led me into the house, where 
she grabbed Augustus in her arms, who was near the age of six 
months, leaving Louis asleep and alone in the house, apparently, 
catching hold of a hand to hurry me along, we made a hurried 
flight to the residence of Dave’s brother George and her sistei 
Lucy. The boys all at some time after this night were residents 
with Dave. This night I am thankful to relate, terminated any 
and all of my time as a resident under the same roof with him. 


THE BIRTH OF WALTER—MY FIRST AND LAST MEET¬ 
ING WITH HIRAM’S WIFE. 

It was during the first part of the year of 1866, when Laura 
took me with her to see the infant son of aunt Lucy and uncle 
George, who they informed me had “arrived the preceding night, ” 


40 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


who they named Walter and called Wallie. During this call, I 
saw sitting in their kitchen a black-haired, black-eyed woman, 
who reminded me of the man I had seen in SCENE 12. She gazed 
at me wickedly, I thought, and did not once attempt to speak to 
me. I heard other members of the house say she was Hiram s 
wife. Though they said Hiram was the brother to George, Dave 
and Harrison, that George was my uncle, not one of them ever 
told me that Hiram or his wife were my uncle and aunt; that they 
ever sent any word to or inquired after me—no word from them 
or Harrison ever came to me—no more than if I had never heard 
of them, and I never heard any one say what Hiram’s wife’s name 
was up to the present day;—strange and myterious behavior for 
people who would be my uncles and aunt, according to their own 
false accounts. From this time to the autumn of 1867, I had 
neither seen uncle George or any member of his family; never 
once heard mention of their whereabouts during this time. 

SKETCH 12. 

« 

It was during or near the month of November; Laura was 
standing in the doorway, waiting for uncle George to come home 
and met him at their front gate on Grant Avenue where they had 
a short interview. Being curious to gain some knowledge of 
what they were saying, I walked slowly near and past them and 
chanced to hear some of their conversation that interested me so 
much that I remembered it, as follows: 

Laura inquired of uncle George: 

“George, what are we going to do about that land back there?” 

Uncle George replied: 

“I think we can persuade Shaffer and Barnett to go there and 
hold the land for us, to answer all questions to satisfy the public 
I think they can do it.” 

I had heard expressions like these prior to the murder com¬ 
mitted in Dave’s blacksmith shop, when Dave and Laura had 
their interviews about “Chan,” or Chandler Manuel Taking the 
brightest view of the matter, I thought probably that Shaffer and 
Barnett were going to look after the land so that Chandler Man¬ 
uel could come to California; this revived my hopes of meeting 
him; though I did not hear them say where this land was located, 
that, was such a worry to them. 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


41 


CHRISTMAS DAY OF 1867. 

It was Christmas morning of 1867—one to be remembered. 
May, Walter and I had hung our stockings on the back of a chair 
in the kitchen Christmas eve, and were enjoying nuts and candies 
found in them. Augustus was a baby then, creeping on the floor, 
partaking of cookies, a liberal share of which he had daubed on 
his clothes. Prior to and after this Christmas morning, Laura 
had been careful and cautious, giving me strict orders not to enter 
aunt Lucy’s parlor—not to go into the hall where the door to the 
parlor was, saying the parlor was only for callers, and not for 
children. This I thought strange and unreasonable, having no¬ 
ticed that I was the only member of the house who was entirely 
excluded from the parlor, causing me to be more curious to see 
what was in the room. 

When breakfast was over, the occupants of the house were in 
a rush to get to the parlor to see what presents Santa Claus had 
brought for May and Wallie, the beloved daughter and son of 
uncle George and aunt Lucy. In their enthusiasm, I apparently 
had been forgotten for the time being, and followed after the 
others to get a glipse into the parlor from curiosity—like most 
any child would do under the same circumstances. My eyes were 
attracted by the black ebony chairs and sofa, carved in acorn 
leaves and acorns—the same, no doubt, I had seen brought to the 
old house by the Napa river prior to then; as the woman had said: 
when re-cushioned and re-varnished, they looked as nice as when 

new. (Described in SCENE 8.) 

The sight of the furniture had revived my memory and heart 

to absent ones. Unobserved apparently, I quietly slipped away, 
hid in the yard and wept for them. I had learned by sad ex¬ 
perience, that to mention or allude to them meant threatenings 
and punishment to me; for Laura continued to deny all know¬ 
ledge of them to me. I had managed to get over my crying spell 
by the time May called me to come and see her new doll Santa 
Claus had brought her. She was pleased with her presents, kept 
telling me through the day about the good Christmas dinner we 
were going to have, that was to take place in the evening. 
“George is going to eat dinner with us,” she said, referring to 
Laura’s eldest son and my said brother. This news pleased me, 


42 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


for I wished to talk to him to find out how he was faring and 
getting along with Dave, his said father; feeling sorry because he 
resided with such a dangerous man. Louis, I thought, would be 
safe with him, knowing that Dave liked him and would do him 
no harm intentionally. 


THE CHRISTMAS DINNER. 


It was after dusk; the table was prepared with luxury very 
tempting to look at; the dining room door was open so that I could 
see them gathering there for the much-talked-of Christmas dinner. 
This is the first Christmas I remember—one that made a lasting 
impression in memory and heart. I saw May, Wallie, aunt Lucy, 
uncle George in Company with George, enter the dining room, 
all receiving my said brother George like a welcome guest and 
relative. I had not, prior to this occasion and no more than twice 
after, during my residence in the same home, been permitted to 
eat at table when uncle George was present, though I neither 
knew or guessed why. I was hungry, having had nothing to 
eat since breakfast more than nuts and candies, though May and 
Walter had several lunches since then, May had encouraged me all 
day—no doubt in good faith—to think I was going to eat dinner 
with them, uncle George included. I was seated in the kitchen 
where I could see through the doorway to the dining room during 
this scene, was expecting to be invited to the table with the 
others, when, to my surprise, Laura came quickly into the kitchen 
and whispered to me: 

“There’s no room at the table for you, and you must sit quiet 
where you are until we are through eating, before you can eat 
dinner.” 

More to my surprise, Laura closed the kitchen door behind 
her, leaving me alone, without a light. I had not seen George 
since Laura left Dave, and did expect that he would have done 
as much as to walk into the kitchen and say, Hello, Nellie, how are 
you! Or at least, that he would inquire about me. George did 
not speak to me that evening; if he inquired for me, I never heard 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


43 


ot it. 1 could distinguish their words in the dining room with the 
door closed only when they spoke louder than ordinary, and 
heard them praising their good things to eat, the mention of 
Santa Claus and the presents of May and Wallie; whereas, I had 
been given no present—Santa Claus had not remembered me— 
no more than the nuts and candies found in my stockings before 
breakfast. I felt slighted, disappointed and very badly treated; 
was real hungry for a substantial meal, as I had often been since 
we came to live with aunt Lucy and uncle George. The sight of 
the black ebony furniture in aunt Lucy’s parlor had revived 
memories of the absent ones, their care and affection for me, their 
good-natured faces, etc. The contrast between them and Dave, 
Laura, aunt Lucy and uncle George, was comparable to day and 
night. To be with the absent ones would be more to me than 
Christmas dinners and all else, then. My thoughts were so sad 
and intense, that the fact that I had lived with, had belonged to 
others, before I saw and knew the said and alleged Manuels 
than of Napa, was impressed in my memory to the extent, that no 
argument, no deception or time has effaced. Thoughts of my 
sweet absent Mother and her loss came; how I did long to be with 
her! I had tried my best to be quiet as Laura had told me to be. 
for she was then the only one I looked to for protection and help; 
before I could realize—my anguish could not be suppressed—I 
burst out crying and sobbing. Regretfully and truthfully I an¬ 
nounce, that Laura heard, came and led me out of the kitchen, 
out doors, where she jerked me along into the windmill building 
a short distance from the house, where she whipped me over the 
back and arms with a piece of bailing rope, with which she tied 
and left me there. Though Laura had a white face, she was at 
heart as cruel and deceitful in her schemes and plots as some of the 
Mexicans she was in league with. I might have been asleep or 
unconscious, however, I well remember that Laura came, lifted me 
up, partly carried and dragged me into the kitchen and dining 
room, up the stairs, undressed and put me to bed without anything 
more to eat since breakfast than a few nuts and candies. W hen 
I awoke the morning of December, 1867, I observed and have re¬ 
membered, there were black and blue marks on my arms, from the 
unreasonable and wrong whipping Laura gave a much wronged, 
heart-broken, defenseless child. 


44 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


I RECOGNIZED A WATCH-CHAIN AND RING I BELIEVE 
WAS WORN BY ONE OF THE ABSENT 
AND MISSING ONES. 

I noticed, recognized and have remembered a watch-chain 
uncle George was wearing—like some I had seen worn b}- a miss¬ 
ing one—one who had been dear to me. Child-like, though no 
doubt correct in my opinion—for the circumstances warrant my 
believing so—they were the same, I thought, I had seen the miss¬ 
ing man wear. Though too young to realize or to correctly guess 
how George got possession of them, I was decidedly of the opinion 
there was something wrong; that uncle George had no right to 
them. My thoughts were so intense on the subject, that I re¬ 
member some of them to present date. They were: I wished I 
were a strong man long enough to compel him to tell me how he 
got the watch-chain and ring. Where the absent owner of them 
was. No one I knew then had a right to any of his belongings 
only myself, I believed; though not a word or any allusion to the 
articles that had belonged to absent ones, came from my lips—no 
more than if I had not seen or recognized them. My experience 
with Dave, Laura, Lucy and George, had brought me to the 
conclusion that I was not only liable to be killed for mentioning 
the subject, but it would do no good. These were the only ones 
I saw or knew then I thought might have knowledge of the 
absent ones. 

MYSTERIOUS ACTIONS AND BEHAVIOR. 

I noticed and remembered instances when George, Lucy and 
Laura turned suddenly, gave startled glances, like they were 
frightened; though I neither knew, saw or heard mention of what 
it was they were startled at. 

There were days, weeks at a time, when I did not see uncle 
George. On some of these occasions, Lucy and Laura said when 
I was present, that he had gone to San Francisco on business. 
Uncle George sometimes returned home with boxes of candy, 
though he never at any time during my residence at his home 
himself offered me anything to eat. He would give Wallie candy 
and May a double portion, tell her to divide her portion with me. 

One evening after dark, when supper was over, when uncle 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


45 


George had been absent from home, aunt Lucy and Laura care¬ 
fully locked all the doors to the house, closed the shutters and 
drew down the blinds, excepting a half lower shutter and blind 
of a window in the kitchen, obscure from the street; chairs were 
placed close together, where Lucy, Laura, May, Wallie and I sat 
like a bunch—very little being said. 

I was impressed by the faces and actions of Lucy and Laura 
that they were afraid, though the cause was not mentioned in 
my hearing. After some minutes Lucy threw up her arms and 
gave terrified screams. Laura caught her hands, endeavoring to 
quiet her, said: 

“It was George's face you saw at the window, Lucy—there’s no 
reason to fear—It is George come home, Lucy—It is George, 
Lucy—It was George you saw—George’s come home.” 

Laura unlocked the back outside kitchen door next to the 
window where Lucy had seen the face; the one where the half 
lower shutter was left open and the blind up; she opened the 
door and uncle George stepped into the kitchen. When they had 
quieted Lucy’s fears, I was sent to bed, and heard no more ex¬ 
planation or mention of this mysterious occurrence after. 

SKETCH 13. 

During the spring of 1868 Laura took me with her to the 
same old house by the Napa river, where we had resided before 
the year 1867, before Laura had left Dave; before the murder 
was committed in his blacksmith shop. Laura said she would 
clean it up, then we would move in. This house had an addition 
of two rooms then, five in all. During this visit to the old house 
I saw in all the rooms excepting one, and saw no furniture no 
more than some matting on the same bedroom floor, that was the 
same room where I awoke in the morning and found myself alone 
with all my clothes on; found the woman I then knew as Laura; 
where I missed and lost My Mother. In this same bedroom was 
a pile of books on the floor in one corner, and shelves in another 
corner containing books. While Laura was in the kitchen wash¬ 
ing windows I sat on the floor of this room looking at the books. 
I found tin-type pictures of some kind in one of the books, some 
of which were pictures of people I had seen prior to when I 


46 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


knew the couple who taught me to address and speak of them as 
Dave and Laura. A picture case among the books attracted my 
attention; this I examined and opened. It proved to be a picture 
of one of the missing ones I had thought of and missed, at the 
sight of whose picture a thrill of hope came to me—like one be¬ 
holding the face of a relative they have perfect confidence in, for 
my understanding was then, that the original of this picture was 
a member of a family who had me in their care before I knew 
Dave and Laura. As I said before, I was too young and small to 
understand plots of crime and their causes. I felt so glad at the 
sight of the picture, believing the original to have been in the 
same house, because I had found his picture there; having hopes 
that he would make his appearance and deliver me from being with 
Dave any more, from Laura and her said relatives. While medi¬ 
tating over the face of the picture, recollection came to my mind 
that this was no other than the picture of David Manuel I had 
known before I saw and knew Dave, Laura’s husband, who then. 
I had learned, had the same name as the missing man. Then I 
thought of the name Chandler Manuel, wondering why he had not 
made his appearance as I had understood he would, from what 
I had heard Dave and Laura say in the Third street house. Yes, 
I remembered as I had been taught, that David had a brother by 
the name of Chandler Manuel; that they both belonged to the 
family I did, before Dave and Laura got me. I was suddenly 
startled by hearing Laura’s voice close to me, inquiring: 

“Whose picture have you got there?” 

Feeling pleased and having more courage than usual, I 
promptly replied: 

“It’s David Manuel’s picture.” 

“No, that aint the picture of David Manuel,” she said. “You 
stop and think how Dave looked when we lived by the black¬ 
smith shop, and you’ll see that don’t look like him.” 

“I know it’s not him,” said I, “but it’s David Manuel’s picture 
—I know him.” 

I looked up, saw Laura staring at me with a frown on her 

face. 

“You’ve made a mistake,” she said. “It's Harrison Manuel’s 
picture, Dave Manuel’s brother—the man that committed murder 
in Dave’s blacksmith shop. They’re all bad men. I didn’t know 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


47 


there was any of his pictures around the house; give me the 
picture and I’ll burn it up.” 

She then snatched the picture from my hands, told me to go 
out in the yard and play; locked the bedroom door, so that I 
could do no more exploring in that room. I was not only dis¬ 
appointed at losing the picture, but angry, believing that no 
one had a better right to it than myself; though I found Laura too 
severe and dangerous a person to contend with when I saw a 
frown or the smile of a fiend on her face. I therefore found a 
place in the yard where I was hid from her view, where I shed 
tears of grief for the absent ones and hated Laura more. I could well 
remember then of having known the original of the picture by 
the name of David Manuel; that his face was white, had no 
expression or resemblance to Laura’ husband Dave Manuel, who 
had a dark face and was black-complexioned. The Harrison 
Manuel I had heard them speak of, I had not seen or known, to 
my knowledge, and the missing David Manuel had left too fav¬ 
orable an impression in memory to think for a moment, that he 
would be guilty of such a crime as I had heard Dave, Laura’s 
husband, give an account of to her, committed in his blacksmith 
shop in 1867. 

The picture I had then found of the missing David Manuel 
was that of a light-complexioned white man; a full, smooth, heal- 
thy-looking face, a robust person, according to the picture, and 
one at least twenty years younger than the David Manuel, hus¬ 
band of Laura. There was a good-natured expression to the face 
—one that was not pock-marked; his clothes looked dark in the 
picture; the vest looked to be of black velvet, from which hung 
a gold watch-chain; the picture was of a sitting posture, taken to 
the knees; it was not an ordinary tin-type, and was a Daguerreo¬ 
type, to the best of my knowledge. The frame of the picture 
case was, to the best of my knowledge, of dark brown mahogany; 
the backs were of velvet, that were much faded; the corners were 
trimmed with brass ornaments. 

During all the time we resided with uncle George and aunt 
Lucy, neither of them slapped, whipped or scolded me. Uncle 
George seldom said more to me than “How do you do, Nellie?” 
I lived in the yard most of the time and played with May. 
Laura was careful and cautious to see to it that I gave them no 


48 LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 

unnecessary annoyance or expense, and they'were easily annoyed, 
so that I avoided their company as much as I could. I got along 
peacefully with May and Wallie, who apparently were pleased 
with me then as a cousin. Christmas Day was the only time 
Laura slapped or whipped me while at their home. She whipped me 
because she felt quite certain that I was crying for the absent ones, 
which worried and excited her more than all else I did. Lucy and 
George were selfish, untalkative, unfriendly towards me, not offei 
ing or seeing to it that I had enough to eat. 

It was during or near the month of April, 1868, when Laura. 
Augustus and I moved into the old house by the Napa river 
where George and Louis came to live with us. The night Laura 
left Dave and the Third street house, proved to be their final 
separation, and I have no doubts was the means of saving my 
life—for awhile, at least. Laura knew that she could not safely 
reside with him any longer, and to get away from him was a 
real necessity with her. 

When we first moved into the old house in the spring of 
1868, Laura taught me that she had a sister living in Aurora, Kane 
County, Illinois, named Maria Thompson and the mother of 
Flora and Germane Thompson; that Maria was my aunt; Flora 
and Germane were my cousins. It was at some date during the 
same spring when Laura took me to the train with her where we 
met uncle George, aunt Lucy, May and Wallie; who greeted me 
more friendly than before, saying they were all going to Aurora 
Kane County, Illinois, to visit Lucy’s sister, Maria Thompson 
with her son and daughter Germane and Flora. They all bade 
me good-bye, and boarded the train south. It was the latter part 
of the summer or autumn of 1868, when Lucy, May and Wallie 
called to see us at the old house, saying they had just returned 
from their visit to Aurora, Kane County, Illinois. 

SKETCH 14. 

During the year of 1868 I recognized the same house where 
Dave talked to the woman on the door-steps with the peculiar 
laugh, an account of which is given in SCENE 15. This house was 
located in the same block as the old house, a short distance from it. 
In this same house during the year of 1868, there resided a family 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


49 


by the surname of Ritchie. Mrs. Ritchie had the same kind of a 
voice and laugh as the woman who talked to Dave on the door¬ 
steps, and I think was the same one. Mr. Ritchie was a carpenter 
and built them a residence adjoining the same place, on a corner of 
the same block, facing Grant Avenue. As I knew this Ritchie 
family they were, namely: 

Mr. Milton Ritchie. 

Mrs. Jane Ritchie. 

Their son, .James Ritchie. 

Their son, . John Ritchie. 

Their daughter, . Emma Ritchie. 

Their son, . Henry Ritchie 

Their daughter, . Effie Ritchie 

Later, I learned of other families who their daughter Emma 
informed me, were related to them, some of whom were, namely: 
A Mr. Pratt and family; a Mrs. Finlay; a Mr. Silas Ritchie and 
family; a Col. Ritchie and family; Lawyer Pond, of Napa City, 
the only Lawyer Pond I knew or heard of in Napa City. 

Emma Ritchie, their eldest daughter, was one not less than 
five years my senior. I remember of taking a drive with Emma 
that must have been not later than the year of 1868, to a place 
called Sebastopol, where were a few small, one-story, wooden 
houses on a flat—is all that I remember of the place. A short 
time later, I went with her and her cousin to visit some of her 
relatives living on a ranch, that was located in the upper part ot 
Napa Valley, so Emma informed me; though as to my own 
knowledge, I have no positive certainty as to where these two 
places were located. Phere are places called Sebastopol in sc\ 
eral Counties of the State of California, namely: Butte County. 

Nevada County, Sacramento County, Sierra County, Sonoma 
County, Tuolumne County. This Ritchie family were acquainted 
with, and were apparently friends to Laura, as far back as I can 
remember them; though I do not think they knew or had any cor¬ 
rect idea in the extreme, as to the kind of a one she really must 

have been. 









50 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR"UNVEILING. 


DID MY MOTHER COMPOSE AND WRITE THE MANU¬ 
SCRIPT? 

I cannot be certain as to the year, though it was during, or 
near the year of 1868, when I first and last saw Laura with an ex¬ 
tensive amount of written manuscript fastened together in book 
form, which she wrapped and tied in my presence, then turning 
to me commanded: 

“Nellie, Pm going up-town, and you must stay here and 
watch the house till I come back.” 

Then I saw her leave the house in the direction of town with 
the manuscript—was the last I saw of it. She never gave me 
any explanation as to how she got it, where she got it, who the 
writer and composer was, or what she did with it. 1 do not now 
remember why or how, however, the fact or idea was impressed in 
my memory some way, that the manuscript was composed and 
written by My Mother, that I last saw Laura carry from the old 
house. After this incident I was at the Ritchie home one day. 
when Laura came and said she had just come from up-town, when 
Mrs. Ritchie inquired of her: 

“Say, Mrs. Manuel, did you get your book finished?” 

“Yes, I sent it away today,” Laura answered. 

“By express or mail?” asked Mrs. Ritchie. 

“By express,” said Laura. 

Mrs. Ritchie looking Laura straight in the face like one 
doubtful, laughed heartily—a peculiar laugh, reminding me of 
the laughter I heard from the one Dave talked to on the door¬ 
steps. 

The red came and went from Laura’s face, her actions were 
too apparent to my notice then to be forgotten, for I understood 
or thought I understood, that “the book” Mrs. Ritchie spoke of. 
meant no other than the manuscript I saw Laura carry away from 
the old house with her. When Mrs. Ritchie observed Laura’s face 
and actions, no more mention of “the book” was made in my 
presence. 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


51 


LAURA’S CARE OF ME WAS UNLIKE A MOTHER OR 

FRIEND. 


When we were residents at the home of uncle George and 
aunt Lucy, Laura kept me neat, my hair combed; but when we 
moved into the old house in the spring of 1868, my nice clothes 
had been worn out or had disappeared; my under garments were 
made of flour sacks, my dresses and aprons of dark calico. 
Laura was very particular that I should make her no unnecessary 
work or expense, or cause her any unnecessary trouble or worry. 
My hair was often uncombed, my clothes unclean, my face and 
hands unwashed—worse than any little girl I observed in our part 
of the town; so Mrs. Ritchie and Emma noticed and spoke of it. 
who taught me to comb my hair and to wash my face and hands 
Mrs. Ritchie notified Laura one day while I was present: 

“Say, Mrs. Manuel, we heard that Dave got permission from 
the Court to call and see the children. If Nellie’s not kept neater, 


he’s liable to use it as an excuse to get her away from you.” 

After this, Laura was more particular about keeping me 
neater for a while. “If Dave tries to coax you to go and live with 
him, you tell him no, you would rather live with me, and don’t 
let him get near you unless you are close to me,” so she instructed 
me. “He might grab you and run away with you. If he didn t 
kill you—you’d be better off dead than to fall into his miserable 
clutches—he’s a bad man and can’t be trusted with you he hates 

girls.” 

Dave called at the old house and talked to me twice, in 
Laura’s presence, that I remember; tried to persuade me to go 
and live with him. I was afraid, and all I would say was “No, I 
would rather live with Laura.” Laura secretly made arrange¬ 
ments with Mrs. Ritchie to conceal me when Dave was seen 
comino to the old house. Though I neither told of this arrange¬ 
ment or let Dave see me go there, he accused the Ritchies of inter¬ 
fering with his family affairs, and one day when I was in their 
house and their eldest son James was in the yard Dave came to 
the fence where he was. Mrs. Ritchie, Emma and I were fright¬ 
ened when we saw him talking to James, knowing that James 
would stand no chance against Dave’s strength; and it was safe 
to guess they were having angry words; that Dave was using 


52 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIRS UNVEILING. 


utterances that would look queer in print. We saw Dave attempt 
to climb their fence and saw James at the same moment draw a 
revolver and take aim at him ; then we saw the ruffian Dave get 
down from the fence, start in the direction of his shop, watching 
him until he had disappeartd from our view. This act of James 
apparently was a “settler,” to our great relief; and so far as I 
have knowledge, terminated Dave’s calls to the old house on the 
pretext of being interested in my welfare and wanting to find 
out if Laura was taking proper care of me a farce to the ex¬ 
treme. 


SKETCH 15. 

It was during or near the year of 1869, when our home was 
made lonesome by the absence of Laura s little boys, Louis and 
Augustus, who she told me the Court had taken away from her 
and given to Dave. They were her children and she had a natural, 
mother’s interest and feelings for them and often shed tears over 
their absence. There were occasions when she acted like one 
distracted, when she would go about the house talking to herself; 
making gestures with her hands, like one pleading their case in 

Court. 

There was a gulf betwetn Laura’s heart and mine—too wide 
to be bridged over; yet I disliked to see her weeping and in 
trouble. I thought she needed sympathy and would try to do 
and to think of something to say to comfort her. I, too, missed the 
little boys, was hungry for sympathy felt lonesome, neglected 
and friendless. I had ceased to mention the absent loved ones 
gone I longed to be with; neither spoke of them or alluded to them 
—no more than if they had passed out of my memory altogether, 
whose mention had caused Laura no small amount of annoyance 
and anger towards me. Sometimes I would find her weeping 
and would weep with her—weep for those I had lost, that Laura 
apparently attributed to my sympathy for her and the absence of 
her boys. It was good fortune for me if she thought so. 

“That miserable Dave Manuel!” she would exclaim. Then 
I would say, “Don’t think any more about him, Laura, he’s too 
mean to think about. Evidently I had touched a small place 


LINKS OF MYSTEIRY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


53 


somewhere in her sympathy, that caused her to be more talkative 
and her treatment of me to take on a form of that which is called 
friendship. She became interested enough to make two rag dolls, 
furnishing them with china heads and clothes, which she pre¬ 
sented on Christmas days. I appreciated them, though George 
gave me some annoyance by occasionally hanging them in trees, 
from which he derived amusement and laughter. 

There were dates ranging from the spring of 1868 to 1870, 
when Laura related and rehearsed to me little by little accounts 
of some who she taught me were her relatives; she also gave 
some accounts of her husband and a few of his relatives. After 
this time she changed her course and became reticent on the sub¬ 
ject. Some of her accounts were unquestionably false, as can be 
seen from my own accounts in SCENES, SKETCHES and evi¬ 
dence; there appears also to be some truth in them. W hat she 
taught me in regards to relatives therefore, is questionable. 

Laura, I learned later, was one of a gang of conspirators; what 
she taught me, when considered, may be of some value in aiding 
to search out the mystery and conspiracy. It is, therefore, 
necessary that I give an accurate account of that she taught me, 
which, when combined, will form a story that will give in her 
language as near as I can remember it, as follows. 


LAURA’S ACCOUNT OF HER RELATIVES AS SHE 

TAUGHT ME. 

“My father once lived in Michigan and moved to Illinois 
where he bought a ranch some twenty-five miles from Aurora : 
Illinois; Mother died when I was young; Father wouldn’t marry 
again, so us children was left without a mother, and we had to keep 
house for our father and get along the best we could; Mother was 
Scotch and father was of Pennsylvania Dutch. He was a Meth¬ 
odist and sang songs before breakfast. There was nine children 

of us.” 

Laura never told me her mother’s given name, or her maiden 
Their names as she taught me, were: 


surname. 


54 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


Her father, .Mr. James Griswold. 

Her mother, .Mrs. Griswold. 

Their son, .Amos Griswold. 

Their daughter, . Maria Griswold 

Their son, .Riley Griswold. 

Their daughter, .Maranda Griswold 

Their daughter, .Laura Griswold. 

Their son, .Isaac Griswold. 

Their daughter, .Lucy Griswold. 

Their son, .Leander Griswold. 

Their daughter, .Ellen Griswold. 

THE ACCOUNT OF LAURA’S MARRIAGE AS SHE 

TAUGHT ME. 

“I was fourteen years old when I got acquainted with Dave 
Manuel. He was then just twice my age. He coaxed me to run 
away from home and marry him against my father’s will. I was 
advised not to marry him and was told he was a scoundrel before 
I married him. I made a mistake by not taking people’s advice. 

We went to the town of Aurora to procure a marriage 
license and was refused, because it was known there that I was 
not of age. We got word that my father was on his way to over¬ 
take us to put a stop to our marriage and we had no time to 
lose; so we crossed the Fox river at Aurora into the next county, 
where we was not known, and procured a marriage license there 
without any trouble and got married there. 

We was married several years before George was born. 
George was born in Illinois. We had a boy older and one 
younger than George that died when they were babies; and they 
was better off dead.” 

THE ACCOUNT OF LUCY’S MARRIAGE AS LAURA 

TAUGHT ME. 

“My sister Lucy come and made us a visit when George was 
a baby. George Manuel, Dave’s brother, come to our house and 
made visits then and that’s where Lucy got acquainted with him. 
I coaxed Lucy to marry him because I thought she would be 













LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UN VEILING. 


55 


better off to have some one to take care of her and to support 
her. I was to blame for her marrying him, and that’s why I put 
up with George Manuel and try to get along with him, is on Lucy 
and her children’s account. Lucy likes to be aristocratic and havt 
her children raised aristocratic; and she couldn’t do that if she 
had to earn the money to support them herself. 

A few years after Dave and I was married, Lucy came to 
our house and was married in the same place to Dave’s brother 
George. Lucy and me both made mistakes when we married them, 
though George has tried to make something out of himself and is 
a good provider for his family. That’s more than Dave’s done 
for me. I think sometimes the old scoundrel’s insane by spells, 
and may not be accountable for all he does and says.” 


THE ACCOUNT OF THEIR TRIP TO CALIFORNIA AS 

LAURA TAUGHT ME. 

“Wages was small in Illinois, and when we heard of the gold 
excitement of ’49, Dave and me wanted to go to California, and 
when Lucy, and George got married, we all put our heads to¬ 
gether to see how we could connive to get across the plains. Lucy 
and George came ahead of us to California by steamer. Da\e and 
me raked and scraped everything we could get together and 
started for California in an emigrant train. When we reached 
Missouri we was out of money and stopped there to earn money 
to buy supplies with, before we could go any further. It was in 
the winter time and the snow was over the ground. Times was 
bad and Dave had a hard time to find work to earn money. It got 
so bad that Dave made fiddles and played for country dances till 
the snow was off from the ground, to keep us from starving. The 
war broke out in 1861 You was born in the same year, in the 
State of Missouri. When we got enough ahead, we joined an 
Illinois emigrant train, bound for California. The Indians, 
gorillas and jayhawkers was bad, and nearly one whole emigrant 

train was massacred by the Indians. 

George was then a boy seven years old, and rode most of the 

way across the plains on horse-back. By the time we reached 
California, our money and supplies was about gone, and befor* 


56 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


we could reach Napa, Dave and me had to earn money. I got a 
chance to hire out as cook and keep house for a rich cattle owner 
on a ranch at a place called Carson, near Nevada; and I got Dave a 
place to work on the ranch. 

When we found George and Lucy, we found them with a little 
tot a year old. That was your cousin May 

When Dave and me had earned money enough, we started 
for Napa and arrived here in the summer of 1862—the same year 
we had the big flood and went to* house-keeping in the same 
house we’re living in now.” 


LAURA’S ACCOUNTS OF HER SISTERS AND BROTHERS 

AS SHE TAUGHT ME. 

“My brother Amos came to California in 1852, where we lost 
trace of him. 

My sister Maria married a man by the name of Thompson, 
and has two children named Flora and Germane; and they live in 
Aurora, Kane County, Illinois. Maria is your aunt and Flora and 
Germane is your cousins. 

I never knew what become of my sister Maranda. 

My brother Riley is married and living in Aurora, Kane 
County, Illinois. His wife’s name is Maggie, and they have two 
little girls. 

My sister Ellen was employed in the ‘Elgin Watch Factory’ 
for some time. She is dead now. She died when she was twenty- 
four years old. 

Leander, my youngest brother, went to the war, and we've 
never heard from him since. 

My father, James Griswold, is living on his ranch some 
twenty-five miles from Aurora, Illinois.” 

I never saw Laura’s parents, or any of her brothers and 
sisters, that I know of, excepting Lucy Manuel and her brother 
Isaac Griswold; the latter of whom will receive mention in Sket¬ 
ches to follow. 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


57 


SKETCH 16. 

THERE APPEARED IN NAPA CITY, NAPA COUNTY, 
CALIFORNIA, FOUR MEN, NO MORE, AND NO 
LESS, WHO BECAME KNOWN AS THE 
FOUR MANUEL BROTHERS. 

These four said and alleged Manuel brothers became known 
as David Manuel (who also became known and was represented 
on Court Records as David A. Manuel, who was one and the same 
man, and was one too dark to rightly be said to be a white man— 
as dark as some Indians). Another of these said brothers became 
known as George W. Manuel, one too dark to be a white man. 

Another became known as Hiram C. Manuel. I never saw him to 

• 

my knowledge and cannot describe him. The fourth one became 
known as Harrison Manuel, who was said to be unmarried when 
he disappeared at the time of the murder in his brother Dave’s 
blacksmith shop, and was the one accused of the murder. I never 
saw him to my knowledge and cannot describe him. 

Laura’s accounts that she taught me were most always truth 
mixed with error, which no doubt she had a purpose or object in 
telling, and was about the Manuels as follows: 

“There was four of the Manuel brothers,” said Laura, namely: 
“Dave Manuel, Hiram Manuel, George Manuel Harrison 

Manuel.” 

“Does Hiram live in Napa now?” said I, to which Laura re¬ 
sponded: 

“Oh_he got up and left here. It’s a disgrace to be related 

to any one that commits murder, and Hiram left here because 
Harrison murdered the man in Dave’s blacksmith shop. ’ 

“Do you know where Hiram is living now?” said I. 

“No, I don’t,” said Laura, “and I don’t care enough about him 
to try to’ find out. Why should I? Eve no interest in him since 

I got rid of Dave.” 

Laura taught me as follows: 

“When Dave, Hiram, George and Harrison was boys, their 
mother died. Their father was a one-armed man, but powerful in 
strength; he could do more with his one arm than most men wtih 
two . & There was every appearance that the family lived well—had 


58 LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 

plenty to eat and to wear and money to pay their bills; though 
the old man had no visible means of support. It was a mystery 
to people how and where he got his money. Some thought he 
had been a pirate, and had money or a treasury hid somewhere 
by which he supported his family. He would disappear every 
once in a while and would never give any account of where he 
went or why he went away. There was people followed him to 
try to find out where he went when he left home; but the old 
man was too< smart for them, and when they followed him about 
so long, he disappeared—to their surprise, and they couldn’t tell 
or guess how he gave them the slip.” 

“Do you know where Harrison is living now?” said I. 

“No,” said Laura, “we don’t bother ourselves to try to find 

« 

out. He’s disgraced us enough.” 

Another interval and Laura continued her story as follows: 

“When the boys was all men-grown, their father married 
again and against the boys’ will. They didn’t like the notion of 
having a step-mother; and one day when the snow was on the 
ground and she was sitting by a window sewing, they made snow 
balls and threw them at the window, that broke the window and 
scattered particles of glass into her face. Their father was en¬ 
raged at what they had done. When he had picked the glass out 
of their step-mother’s face, he went out, got him a good-sized 
club, and with his one arm drove them all off from the place with 
the club. When the boys needed money, had no home and no 
one to do anything for them, they got wild and sometimes went 
on raids of plunder. They were all once bad men, though George 
has tried to make something out of himself and is a good pro¬ 
vider for his family.” 

Laura told me they had one sister, whose name was Susan 
I never heard one of them say what the first names of the four 
Manuel brother’s parents were; not one of them ever mentioned 
or hinted to me that they had ever lived in the State of Vermont, 
excepting when we lived in the Third street house by the black¬ 
smith shop, I heard Dave there on several occasions say: 

“I’m a Vermonter! I’m one o’ the Green Mountain boys.” 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


59 


SKETCH 17 . 

THE VOICE OF THE INVISIBLE. WAS IT THE VOICE 

OF MY MOTHER? 

It was a quiet summer day, during or near the year of 1869. 

I was a small girl, was sitting near the edge of the Napa river 
bank a short distance below the old house, meditating over former 
scenes in memory, incidents and occurrences; the picture of the 
missing David Manuel, Chandler Manuel, My Mother and others 
who were absent and gone—all came to my mind, wondering if 
I would ever see them again and what had become of them? I 
wondered why Laura had told me the picture of the missing 
David Manuel was that of Harrison, Dave’s brother, remembering 
that I had seen and known the original of the picture as David 
Manuel. I felt so lonesome and sad; how I longed to be with My 
Mother! 

I resolved to try to learn to do all I could to make myself 
competent to earn my own living as soon as possible, expecting 
by so doing to get away where I would no more see Laura, Dave, 
aunt Lucy and uncle George, hoping to meet some day the absent 
ones I longed to be with, or to find out what had become of them. 
I was decidedly of the opinion that uncle George had no right to 
the watch-chain and ring that had belonged, I thought, to one 
who had been dear to me; that Laura had no right to the manu¬ 
script I thought had belonged to My Mother; that, Aunt Lucy and 
Uncle George had no right to the black ebony fur¬ 
niture I had seen in their parlor, was my decided opinion. 

I was not allowed to play with other children, I listen¬ 
ed to the sad cooing of the mourning doves in the 

oaks near by; they sounded as though we were mourning together,. 
Suddenly I was startled, feeling a glad thrill from the sound of 
a voice, that sounded close by, that spoke my name “Nellie,” very 
distinctly. Thinking some one of the absent ones I longed to be 
with had come for me, with a glad expectation of finding the one ; 
I sprang to my feet and turned to clasp my arms about them, when 
to my astonishment there was no person that I could see in any 
direction The idea of not meeting the one who had spoken to me 
was too disappointing to consider then, and anxiously I searched 
and crazed up and down the river bank to find the one from whom 


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LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


the voice came, when no one was to be found. Returning to where 
I heard the voice, I seated myself again to meditate over the 
strange incident, when I was suddenly startled by hearing my 
name “Nellie,” spoken distinctly the second time—only a little 
louder. Again I sprang to my feet to look for the one who called 
me, when I heard my name “Nellie,” spoken the third time, that 
sounded from the water in the river below—a wail that had the 
sound of distress and grief; at which I shook with grief, burst 
out crying and sobbing. Some strong influence of the unseen 
then came and drove me from the river. At this same place during 
or near the year 1869 I remember of seeing a steamer named “The 
Old World” clearing the river of snags. 

I went home from the river to the old house—the same old 
house where I missed and lost My Mother—found Laura in the 
kitchen. 

“What’s the matter with you now?” she asked. 

Knowing that it would not do for me to mention or allude to 
the absent ones—why(?). I have explained before. The only ex 
planation I gave her was: 

“I was on the river bank and heard some one call me, and 
cried because I couldn’t find them.” 

I noticed and remembered Laura’s face when I gave her this 
answer, that frightened me for the time being. She stared at me 
with a look of horror—the red all left her face. Then I asked her 
if she called me? 

“No,” she said, “that old Dave Manuel will be getting hold of 
you yet, and you won’t live long to trouble anybody if he gets his 
clutches on you. I think you’re hungry and ought to have some¬ 
thing to eat. Come and I’ll make a cup of tea for us.” 

While we sat in the kitchen drinking tea and eating cookies 
Laura told me stories about Indians and places she saw crossing 
the plains from the East to California. No more mention was 
made by us of my experience at the river that day, and she kept 
me away from the river for a while. 

SKETCH 18. 

WERE THEY SEARCHING FOR ME? 

Several times apart I remember women called at the old 
house when I was a small girl and interviewed Laura in regards 


LINKS OF MYSTEIRY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


61 


to me. From all that I heard, understood and remember, they ap¬ 
peared to be in search of some child. Some of their questions 
and answers were so often repeated that some of them during 
their last interview that I had knowledge of remained in my 
memory, as follows: 

“Whose little girl is this?” one inquired. 

“She’s my child,” Laura promptly replied. 

“She does not resemble you, does not resemble your boys. 
Who does she look like?” 

“She looks like her father—she’s the picture of her father,” 
said Laura. 

“What kind of a looking man is her father?” one asked. 

“Oh—he’s a short, thick-set man; hair light brown, eyes like 
her’s, features like her’s,” Laura replied. 

“How did she get the scar in her eye-brow?” asked one. 

“She fell out of a high-chair when a baby and cut it on an iron 
kettle,” replied Laura. 

“Who does she get her kind of hands and feet from?” one 
asked. 

“Her hands are like her father’s, He has exceptionally small 
hands for a man, and small feet,” Laura replied. 

“How old is she?” one inquired. 

“If I was seven years old, Laura would say nine; if I Wtfs 
eight, she would say ten; if I was nine, she would say eleven— 
that is, according to what they said my age was, and from what I 
can remember, which if not correct,, could not be far from it. 

They never agreed with Laura about my age—I remember. 

One said: 

“WhatJ That child that age? Impossible! She appears in 
every way to be a child at least two years younger. 

“Well, I ought to know her age,” Laura responded. 

“What is your object in misrepresenting the child’s age?” 
asked one. 

“I have doubts of your whole statement,” one said. 

They both appeared to be angry when they left the old house. 
I neither knew or guessed during the last interview who they 
meant, when they said “her father,” for I knew no one then as 

either father or mother. 


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LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


When Laura described the man she told them was my father, 
she did not describe her husband, Dave, one of the four brothers, 
whose face mine did not resemble in the least, who neither had 
small hands or hands shaped like mine. 

SKETCH 19. 

During the year of 1869 Laura devised and taught me a story, 
most of which, I knew then to be false. This she did to deceive 
me as to my true parents and relatives, what became of them and 
what had belonged to them. This story she manufactured from 
what I had told and asked her about missing ones, some, if not all 
of whose faces were yet in my memory when she told me the story; 
so I knew that most of this story was untrue; that was as follows: 

1 You was born in Missouri, on the 10th of February, 1861— 
the same year the war broke out. 

The place you remember of going through the mountains 
with the man and woman, was when you was with Dave and me. 
You don’t remember George then because he was horse-back, and 
didn’t ride in the wagon with us. 

The places you remember when you was riding with the man 
and woman, was when we was crossing the plains. You was with 
Dave and me then—you was little—only a baby. 

The place where you thought you fell out of the wagon and 
felt water running around your ears, was when we was going 
through Echo Canyon; the wagon nearly tipped over when we 
was crossing a little stream of water and spilt some of our things 
in the water. You was wrapped up in some quilts. At first we 
thought you was drowned; but Dave jumped into the water as 
quick as he could, and pulled you out; only your head was a little 
wet. Dave and me got along together until we had children; then 
our trouble commenced; he hated you because you was a girl— 
he hates girls. You was more forward than my boys; you could 
run around and talk plain when you was nine months old, and 
none of them could talk at that age. 

The way you come to get the scar in your eye-brow that 
people ask about, was when you fell out of a high-chair and cut it 
on the edge of an iron kettle. You had fits after you fell on the 
kettle and was delirious for a while. We was afraid you would 
die and we would lose you. When you come too, you didn’t know 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


63 


N 


us, and you’ve had strange and crazy notions in your head ever 
since. I’ve tried hard to break you of them and get them out of 
your head; for by telling such stories to strangers, you’re liable 
to get us into trouble; because they wouldn’t know why you told 
them. I’ve humored you on account of your getting hurt and 
you’ve been hard to raise. You’re all the girl I ever had, and I’vt 
made a fool of you.” 

The above is as Laura related it to me, and is a true sample 
of how she would relate truth mixed with error, to baffle and 
deceive, which can be seen by the same and other accounts. At 
a later date, when Laura and I were visiting at the Ritchie home 
one day—without their knowledge of my being in hearing dis¬ 
tance, Laura was telling Mrs. Ritchie that she had never seen a 
high-chair; that George Manuel had just bought one for Wallie. 
and she was going up to their house the following day to see it. 
At her remarks, Mrs. Ritchie laughed heartily. 

From the fact that I was at least three years Wallie’s senior, 
this was an acknowledgement from Laura that I could not have 
been with her when she said the scar in my eye-brow was caused 
by my falling out of the high-chair and cutting it on an iron 
kettle. According to knowledge, I was not with Laura when an in¬ 
fant; though the first that I rmember of seeing the scar in my 
left eye-brow was when Laura had me in her care; that was proof 
of my having been hurt, and no doubt unconscious for a while. 
Though the scar is not now very noticeable, the bone is indented, 
showing that it was a dangerous injury, and that I in all prob¬ 
ability, required the best of care to prevent my death at the time; 
this was not all—it does not appear reasonable to me as I knew 
Laura, that she would, or could have given me this necessary care. 

WAS LUCY’S NAME SYLVIA? 

It was during or near the year of 1869, when I heard and 
remembered the following: 

Mrs. Ritchie came to the old house early one morning, was 
having an interview with Laura and her eldest said son George, 
when I chanced to walk into the kitchen before it was ended and 
heard Mrs. Ritchie say to George: 


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LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


“George, I notice you have an S. in your name—George S. 

Manuel. What does the S. stand for?” 

George and Laura both looked and acted confused and per¬ 
plexed at Mrs. Ritchie s question. George kept his eyes looking 
downward to the floor, as though at a loss what to say. Laura 
gathered her presence of mind, came to his rescue and answered 

for him: 

“The S. stands for Squire—George Squire Manuel,- said Laura. 

At this explanation, Mrs. Ritchie gave one of her peculiar 
laughs and said: 

“George, I think if you will tell the truth, you will say your 
name is Sylvester, named from your aunt Sylvia.” 

“We’re going to have his name Squire—George Squire, is his 

name,” replied Laura. 

WAS THE SAID HIRAM C. MANUEL LUCY’S BROTHER, 
AND NOT HER BROTHER-IN-LAW? 

I do not know the year, though I was a small girl, when the 
first incident I am about to relate, took place. I did not hear 
Aunt Lucy speak of any of her brothers-in-law as though inter¬ 
ested or she had any liking for them in particular, with but one 
exception; however, when I saw and heard her speak of Hiram, 
her voice took on a sound like one glad, the expression of her 
face being even more noticeable. One incident in particular, I re¬ 
member, when she called at the old house one evening near dusk 
and announced in a glad tone of voice and face aglow: 

“Laura, I’ve got g'ood news to tell you! Hiram’s at our 
house—Hiram and his wife both! They’re going to live with us 
now, for a while—and Hiram’s going to work on one of the steam¬ 
ers here.” 

There were other incidents later apart, I remember, when 
Lucy called at the old house and announced to Laura, with that 
glad voice and face aglow, that I had previously only noticed 
when she spoke of Hiram: 

“I’ve been up the Valley on a visit all day, Laura, and have 
just come from there!” 

“Then Laura would send me away from the place on some 
errand, so they could talk without my hearing what was said. 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


65 


On one of these occasions I heard Lucy say she had taken May 
and Wallie with her when up the Valley on a visit. They were 
all careful and cautious about not letting me hear who they visited 
up the Valley; would not so much as hint it in my presence. 

I was for the most part like a captive;—one in whom my 
captors took no interest as a relative. It was too apparent to im, 
that their interests, pleasures and family secrets were apart from 
mine; like a stinted and objectionable boarder, I was annoyed 
and grieved at their manners and treatment of me; their actions, 
the expressions of their faces, a word, an expression, a sentence, 
dropped now and then, puzzled and caused me to be apprehensive 
as to what they might mean. I did not get from them I think, 
what the law would have required, had the truth been known. 

I found the adults to be mean, unfeeling, deceitful and treachei 
ous with me always to some extent. They were always, ranging 
to various degrees strange and mysterious acting and talking as I 
knew them from a small child. 

WAS THE SAID AND ALLEGED HIRAM C. MANUEL, ONE 
OF THE FOUR SAID MANUEL BROTHERS, 

ONE AMOS GRISWOLD? 

The year I do not know, though I remember I was a small 
girl, when one—a stranger to me, called at the old house and 
had some conversation with Laura about one Amos Griswold, 
that surprised and attracted my attention to an exent that I re¬ 
membered some of it to the effect as follows; 

The woman notified Laura; 

“You spoke about having a brother who came to California 
in early days, you lost trace of. I believe Tve found your missing 
brother. His name was Amos Griswold, was it not?” 

“I had a brother that came to California in 1852, by that 

name,” said Laura. 

The woman continued: 

“Well, there’s a man by that name now employed on one of 
the steamers here. The name is odd—for that reason there’s a big- 

chance he’s your missing brother.” 

The expression of Laura’s face, her answer, were visibly clear 
to me that she was not pleased with the news the woman had 


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LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


brought to her. She asked various questions about the one Amos 
Griswold, that I do not remember, then said: 

“No, he couldn’t be my brother. The one you describe 
wouldn’t be my brother. My brother’s not that kind of a looking 
man.” 

The woman argued: 

“Yes, but years in a rough country some times changes a 
person. Let me arrange a meeting between you—he might prove 
to be your missing brother after all.” 

“No, we were told my brother went to the mines, and we 
believe he died there, because we could get no trace of him after 
he went to the mines. No, I don’t want to meet the man you 
describe—I’m sure he wouldn’t be my brother. My brother was 
no such a looking man as you tell about,” said Laura in a decided 
voice. 

The woman looked surprised and puzzled—abruptly left the 
house. 


SKETCH 20. 

THE RUFFIAN DAVE—MISS CHARLOTTE BROWN. 

When Dave got their two boys, Louis and Augustus, into 
his custody, he procured nurses and a home for them with a Mr. 
and Mrs. Brown, of Napa. They had residing with them a grown 
girl, Miss Charlotte Brown. Though I was not acquainted with, 
and never spoke to either of them, I sometimes passed them on 
the streets of Napa, when I was told who they were, and knew 
them in this way by sight. Miss Charlotte was said to be the step¬ 
daughter of Mrs. Brown, and the daughter of Mr. Brown. Miss 
Charlotte was young then and wanting for experience and proper 
advice, apparently, was young enough to be Dave’s daughter. 
She was tall, stately and slim; a face that was of a light brown 
shade, hair and eyes of the darkest brown shade. When in a 
passive mood, the expression of her face was rather pleasant, I 
thought, and did not appear to me to be vicious or criminal—may¬ 
be to be pitied, were all the truth known. I was surprised and 
felt sorry for her when I saw her with Dave, considering the kind 
of a ruffian he was, and the reputation he must have had in Napa, 
from the short time I was a resident with him. Dave and Miss 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


67 


Brown frequently took buggy-rides past and in hearing distance 
of the old house, where Laura, George and I were then the only 
occupants. When speaking of Charlotte’s said step-mother, Mrs. 
Brown, Laura spoke of her as “hook-nosed Brown.” 

Was Love blind (?) or was there money and property to tempt 
her(?) or was there both? On several occasions, that I remem¬ 
ber, while Dave and Miss Brown were riding by the old house in 
a buggy and Laura was in the yard, Dave shouted to Laura ruffian¬ 
like: 

“Hello! Hello—Larry! How’s the Widder! How’s the 
Widder!” 

Miss Brown, apparently, thought Dave cute, and felt proud 
of her conquest; for at his shouts she broke forth into laughter 
that terminated into hysterical giggles, as she swayed to and fro 
twisting her handkerchief between her teeth; that justly, aroused 
Laura’s indignation, who hurried into the house, at the sound of 
Dave’s shouts and her laughter, slamming the door after her. 
Sometimes they caused Laura to give utterances that would ap¬ 
pear out of place in some daily newspapers. 

Later, the alleged David and David A. Manuel and Miss 
Charlotte Brown, both then of Napa, were married. Dave had 
them a residence built on the vacant lot on Third street, next to 
his blacksmith shop; where their eldest son, little William—called 
Willie, was born; also a daughter, Dave named Fannie, the same 
name as his horse—so I was informed by those who had an op¬ 
portunity to know more about them at this time, than I did. 
Miss Charlotte Brown, it appears, had also an S. in her name— 
Mrs. Charlotte S. Manuel. Dave was allowed more privileges 
in his blacksmith shop that was located in the best part of Napa 
City, than any ruffian character I had knowledge of during all 
my time in Napa City—a place of profanity, and in one instance a 
place of murder. This is too well known to be disputed, by any 
and all who will tell the truth;—this is not all—was there no 
more than one murder committed there? 

SKETCH 20. 

It was during or near the year of 1869, when Emma Ritchie 
said to me: 

“Say, Nell, I believe you could write a story, if you tried.” 


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LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


“What kind of a story?” said I. 

“Oh, any kind, just make up a story and write it,” she said. 
“You write a certain amount of it and I’ll help you to correct any 
mistakes in it. Mother says she believes you could write one if 
you would try.” 

Though a small school girl then I could read, write and spell 
to some extent. I wondered why that Emma and Mrs. Ritchie 
got the idea that I could compose a story. I had heard Laura tell - 
insr Mrs. Ritchie about some of her travels and Indians she saw 
while crossing the plains from the East to California, at which 
I frequently heard Mrs. Ritchie laugh aloud. Supposing Emma 
and her mother simply desired some amusement, I concluded to 
endeavor to be equal to the occasion, and so started a story that I 
gave the title of “Ella Mansion and the Indians,” that probably 
would have been more appropriately entitled: “Ella Mansion and 
the Mexicans.” 

Several days after, Emma inquired: “Nell, have you com¬ 
menced your story yet?” 

“Oh yes. I have written several pages,” promptly came my 
response. 

“Good!” almost shouted Emma. “What’s the name of it?” 

“Ella Mansion and the Indians,” I replied, sober-faced. 

Emma laughed aloud, giving no explanation for the cause, 
when she had read what I had written, and encouraged the con¬ 
tinuation, by saying: 

“Write some more, Nell—you’re doing fine. I told you you 
could write a story if you tried, and this proves it.” 

Being impressed with the idea that my writings were afford¬ 
ing some amusement, I was encouraged to press on, and several 
days later was sitting on the side steps of the porch at the old 
house with paper and pencil in hand, absorbed in thought, writing 
my story, supposing myself to be the only person about the prem¬ 
ises, when, alas, however, my eldest said brother George, sud¬ 
denly hove in sight from around a corner of the house, giving me 
no chance to conceal paper and pencil. 

“Hello, Nellie,” he said, “What are you writing?” 

“Only practicing,” said I, “just seeing if I can make up and 
write a little story.” 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


69 


George stood smiling, trying to persuade me to tell him 
what it was about, which information I refused to reveal, saying, 
“Wait till I write some more, then maybe you can help me out 

on it.” 

Not suspecting George of treachery—he made a quick grab, 
taking all that I had written, placing it in a coat pocket, abruptly 
walked away without any apology or explanation for his ill-man¬ 
nered and strange act—not so much as one word—that proved to 
be the last I saw of it. Thus ended “Ella Mansion and the In¬ 
dians.” After I had explained to Emma how it all happened, she 
was very indignant, or pretended to be, over the affair, saying: 

“Well, wasn’t that a mean and queer way for him to act? 
Now what do you suppose he did that for?” 

“I don’t know any more about it than you do. I guess he 
likes to tease me and thought he was doing something cute,” 
said I. 

“Well I’ll promise you there would he trouble if one of my 
brothers acted like that with me,” said Emma. “Mother was say¬ 
ing the other day, that your mother acted queer about not want¬ 
ing you to learn anything and go in company like other girls. 
I'm glad my mother don’t act that way with me; but don’t men¬ 
tion or even hint to any one about what I’ve said, will you, Nell? 
You might get both mother and I into trouble by repeating any¬ 
thing we say about your mother’s not treating you right.” 

“Are you my friends?” 1 inquired. 

“We are trying to be, Nellie,” she said, sympathetically. 

“Then I will be careful about repeating anything that might 

cause you trouble,” I promised. 

Neither of them said any more to me in regards to the un¬ 
finished story that George had taken from me, why he took it, or 
why 1 did not write another ? 

WAS “HETTA” OR “THE BROKEN HOME,” THE CON¬ 
TENTS' OF THE MYSTERIOUS MANUSCRIPT I 
LAST SAW WITH LAURA? WAS MRS. 

RITCHIE AND EMMA AWARE OF IT? 

I do not know the year, although I remember that it was 
after I saw Laura with the mysterious manuscript and after 
George had deprived me of “Ella Mansion and the Indians,” when 

( 3 ) 


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LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


Emma appeared at the old house one day and announced to Eaura 
and I alone: 

‘“Say, Mrs. Manuel, Eve got the ‘New York Ledger;’ the 
story of ‘Hetta,’ or, ‘The Broken Home/ is in it, and I thought 
both you and Nellie would be interested in it. I've brought the 
‘Ledger’ over for the express purpose of reading it to you and 
Nellie.” ’ 

So Emma read it to us and continued to bring the ‘New York 
Ledger’ every week and to read to us the continued story entitled, 
‘Hetta,’ or, ‘The Broken Home,’ until concluded; omitting to read 
any and all other articles in the same paper, keeping each paper 
in her hands and carrying them away with her. A few days after 
this story had been concluded, Emma brought other papers con¬ 
taining some short stories that she insisted upon my reading, to 
which Laura very unwillingly gave her consent. When I had 
read them, Laura firmly refused Emma the privilege of bringing 
any more for me to read; her excuse being, that I was too young 
to read stories. 

“Say, Mrs. Manuel,” interposed Emma, “Why don’t you take 
a town paper, or some other kind of a paper so that Nellie can learn 
something about what is going on and be like other girls? It 
don’t cost much.” 

“There’s so much scandal in town papers I don’t want her to 
know about,” said Laura. “I think her school books will be all 
the reading she is in need of for awhile, at least.” 

If Laura was a subscriber for any newspaper during* our 
entire residence in Napa City, I did not know of it. If she read 
any of the Napa City or County newspapers at home, she con¬ 
cealed the fact from my knowledge. At later dates I would ask 
her to take a town paper so that I could read it, from which her 
response came very much the same on each occasion to the effect: 

“I don’t have any need of a paper. If I want any news, I can 
go to Ritchie’s and read their paper. Mrs. Ritchie can tell me 
most of the town news before the paper comes out in the evening. 
Lucy finds out what is going on in town. Between the two of 
them, I get more news than I could read from the town papers. 
And you don’t need to know about people’s business or what is 
going on in town. You cause me too munh expense and trouble as 
it is.” 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


71 


SKETCH 21. 

HOW, WHERE AND WHEN, I FIRST MET ISAAC 

GRISWOLD 

It was at some date that I do not now remember, between 
the years of 1868 and 1870, when I first met the said Isaac Gris- 
wold, the said brother of Laura, Lucy and Mrs. Maria Thompson. 
The way our meeting came about, was one day near the hour of 
10 a. m. Laura and I were alone in the sitting room of the old 
house, when I was startled by seeing a stranger, a man about six 
feet tall, broad shouldered, white face and rosy cheeks, open, 
without knocking, the door of the sitting room that led from the 
kitchen, as though perfectly at home. He first stood scrutinizing 
my face, then inquired of Laura: 

“Is this Lenore?” 

Laura neither said yes or no to this question, but replied: 
“Her name is Eleanor, but we call her Nellie, because it is a nick¬ 
name for Eleanor; besides it is an easier name to speak, and we 
like it better:” 

There was then a puzzled expression in the stranger s face, 
and he repeated aloud the naames Lenore, Eleanor. This was a pe¬ 
culiar circumstance that attracted my attention, though no expla¬ 
nation was ever given me as to why this stranger asked if my name 
was Lenore. From this time on, Laura taught me that my name 
was Eleanor; though she and others continued to address me by 
the name of Nellie, and I became known as Nellie Manuel. 

Laura introduced the stranger and I, saying: “Nellie, this 
is my brother, Isaac Griswold, I have told you about, who has 
just come from Illinois and is going to make his home in Napa. 
He is your uncle Isaac.” 

The stranger took my hand, saying: “I think we will like 

each other when we get acquainted. 

Laura explained to her brother Isaac. She s been ailing for 
several days and won’t eat anything. She’s more trouble to raise 
than all my boys put together. My boys aint particular about what 
they eat, or how they eat it; but I’ve made a fool of her, because 

I’ve been afraid I’d lose her.” 

“Can you think of anything you 


can eat?” asked the stranger. 


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LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


“I am real hungry—hungry for pickles and green onions, 

I said, and was pleased and surprised when I heard him promptly 
reply: 

“Pickles and green onions you shall have, if I can get- them 
in town.” 

“No, Isaac,” objected Laura, “she’s got a weak stomach. I 
wouldn’t think of feeding such stuff to a well person—let alone 
one that is sick. She don’t know what is good for hei to eat. 

“I think when a sick person craves any particular thing to eat, 
that it is good for them, and I will go now and see if I can get the 
pickles and green onions,” said Isaac. 

True to his promise, Isaac returned with a bottle of pickles 
and several bunches of green onions, which I very much appre¬ 
ciated. This was not all—Isaac was acting like one who had some 
friendly interest towards me, and I was hungrier for a real true 
friend who I could talk to, than all else; some cheerful company 
to say kind and pleasant words; for I had been loved before I saw 
Laura. Laura’s company was distressing to me when ill. I ex¬ 
claimed when Isaac placed the pickles and onions on a chair by 
me: 

“Uncle Isaac, how good you are! I like you already. Sit 
here and share them with me; they will taste so much better with 
good company.” 

Uncle Isaac smiled, looked pleasant and replied: I wouldn’t 
mind having some of the onions, if I had some bread and butter 
to go with them.” 

Laura brought bread and butter and while we dined from the 
chair, he told me of his wife Katie and their two little children 
then in the State of Illinois, who he said he would send for in a 
short time. Isaac also informed me that he had a sister then living- 
in Aurora, Kane County, Illinois, who had a son and daughter 
with her, named Germane and Flora. I found Isaac to be congenial 
company and often thought of the contrast between him and his 
sisters Laura and Lucy. His wife and children arrived in Napa, 
where they were guests of the alleged G. W. and Lucy Manuel, for 
several weeks, at the termination of which they occupied one of 
their tenement houses, situated in the same block of their resi¬ 
dence, that was near the Steamer Landing, at the end of Brown 
street. Isaac’s wife and I became friendly, and I was taught to ad- 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


73 


dress her as Aunt Katie; to address Isaac, as Uncle Isaac. They 
were the only family of my said and alleged relatives whom I 
visited at Napa, after their arrival. Isaac Griswold bename known 
in Napa as a brother of Laura and Lucy Manuel; a brother-in-law 
of the said and alleged G. W. Manuel; the ex-brother-in-law of his 
sister Laura’s former husband, the said David A. Manuel, and uncle 
to their children. Isaac Griswold, to the best of my memory, gave 
me no information about his home n Illinois ; did not mention to 
me the names of his ex-brother-in-laws, Hiram and Harrison 
Manuel, their wives nor children. There was no mention from him 
in my presence that I remember, of any of his sisters and brothers, 
excepting his sisters, namely: Laura Manuel (who was later 
known as Laura C. Colburn), Lucy Manuel, and Maria Thompson, 
of Aurora, Kane County, Illinois. The murder committed in the 
blacksmith shop of his ex-brother-in-law, David Manuel (also 
known as David A. Manuel), was not mentioned by Isaac in my 
presence. The same Isaac's family the last I heard of them at 
Napa, consisted of, namely: 

Himself, . Isaac Griswold. 

His wife, . Katie Griswold. 

Their daughter, . Edna Earl Griswold 

Their son, . Dewitt Griswold. 

Their daughter, . Hattie Griswold. 

Their daughter, . Katie Naomi Griswold 

Twins, who died when infants. 

SKETCH 22. 

Opposite and below the old house along the Napa river bank 
were overhanging oak and live-oak trees, and an open country 
to an enclosure called Jack’s place; this bank for the most part 
was high and steep, but there were several cozy nooks that were 
pleasant places to sit and fish during spring and summer. Oppo¬ 
site the old house was an overhanging live oak tree, to which from 
two to five skiffs were continuously tied or chained during day¬ 
time. On the opposite side of this narrow river that was called 
Napa creek above the Steamer Landing, were grain fields ex¬ 
tending to the foot hills. I often played, fished and ran along the 
river bank described, where it was caving more or less dm ing the 








74 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 

rainy reasons, where there was danger of children falling in, for 
this reason I seldom met children there. Laura did not so muca 
as once caution me about falling in, and gave me every chance to 
get drowned; later, she cautioned her boys Louis and Augustus 
about falling in the river and sometimes punished them for going 
to the dangerous part of the bank that I frequented. This was not 
strange or unreasonable, for she was their natural mother, and 
therefore had a natural mother’s interest in their safety and wel¬ 
fare. whereas she was neither a natural mother or true friend to my 
health or interests as she wished people to think a role she was 
not playing well enough to escape criticism from a few, to my 
knowledge, who had some chance to observe in these particulars. 

It will appear from my accounts and evidence herein when 
concluded, that during the last half of the ’60’s, there appeared 
in Napa City and County, State of California, four men, both re¬ 
presented and representing themselves to be brothers, by the 
names of David Manuel, George Manuel, Hiram Manuel, Harrison 
Manuel; That, three of these brothers added initials to their names 
during the year of 1867, namely: David A. Manuel, Hiram C. 
Manuel and George W. Manuel: That, these three brothers and 
wives, accomplices in their plot and conspiracy, all appeared in Na¬ 
pa City by the surname of Manuel, after others by the same sui- 
nane had disappeared, who were white: That, two of these said and 
alleged Manuel brothers, namely, David A. Manuel and George 
W. Manuel, were decidedly not white, were as dark as Mexicans, 
were aided and protected by them, and were known or thought by 
some personally acquainted with them, to have been full-blood 
Mexicans: That, the same David Manuel both represented himself 
and was represented by some accomplices, to be both David Manuel 
and David A. Manuel, to Courts and on Court Records; That, this 
same David Manuel was a pockmarked man when I first saw him 
in the old house by the Napa river with his wife, who taught me to 
address them as Dave and Laura, and not to call them father 
or mother: That, during the ’60’s, 70’s and ’80’s, the personal 
identity, whereabouts and resident location of one of these broth¬ 
ers, namely, Hiram C. Manuel, of Sonoma County, State of Cali¬ 
fornia, was carefully concealed from my knowledge: That, these 
four said Manuel brothers and wives of three of them, combined 
with others from the loss of my parents and their offspring as time 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


75 


went on, to conceal the true identity of my missing*, murdered 
parents and relatives, who came to California and disappeared: 
That, they combined to conceal the true ownership of property 
from me, that had belonged to missing relatives: That, by so 
doing, they have not only robbed me of parents and relatives I 
knew, but have so managed affairs with Courts by false testimony 
and witness, as to rob me of my inheritance from relatives. When 
a small child, Laura’s nature was so repulsive to mine, that some¬ 
times, when I forgot and would be sitting in a corner of the 
room studying her face, general appearance and stirring up my 
recollections, suddenly I was brought to a realization of my 
mistake, by seeing her frown, glare and call out in a sound of 
voice that forcibly jarred me: 

“Nellie, do turn your eyes away! Don’t look at me that way—- 
it gives me the creeps! Why don’t you go out in the yard and 
play? It’s a better place for you—you stay in the house too much.” 
This I obeyed at once. 

Later she would say: “You must stay at home to see that the 
place ain’t ransacked while Lm gone.” 

Sometimes I would complain of staying there alone, for fear 
Dave or some one of his aides might be lurking about the place or 
near vicinity when they learned that Laura left me alone; then she 
would reply in words to the effect: 

“There’s no need of your being afraid of that old Dave 
Manuel. He’s been notified to keep out of this yard, he’s got no 
business here now, the Court has decided that, and he’s too 
cowardly to come here without permission, for fear the law might 
take hold of him. I’ve warned him that I’ll have him put behind the 
bars if he attempts to come into this yard without my permission 
or an order from the Court; and the old scoundrel’s too cowardly 
to attempt it now. So you’ve got no cause to be afraid to stay 
here alone and look after things till I come back. I won’t stay 
away after sun-down, and I may be back earlier.” 

Laura warned me a number of times to the effect: 

“When you’re off by yourself where there’s no houses or 
people near, you’d better be on the look-out to let no one get near 
enough to get hold of you, and you’ll do well to look out for 
strangers; for old Dave Manuel or some man he’ll have hired, is 
liable to be prowling around or hid somewhere watching for a 


76 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


chance to nab you, if they see they can do it without their being - 
caught or suspected. If they didn’t kill you, you d lie better off 
dead than to fall into their hands; and as bad as that old Dave 
Manuel is, lie’s upheld by a gang who makes it hard to prove any¬ 
thing against him in the Courts.” 

Having a horror of Dave, I was generally alert and practiced 
running on the open commons in the southerly end of town to 
prepare myself to more readily effect an escape when I saw a 
stranger or any doubtful approaching in my direction when off 
alone where there was no protection. However, during all our 
time of residence in the old house by the Napa river, after James 
Ritchie drove Dave away from our neighborhood with a revolver, 

I have no recollection of having seen or heard of his being near 
the same house or in the southerly end of town, excepting when 
he drove by in a buggy accompanied by Charlotte Brown, to whom 
lie was married soon after. It will appear that these four said Man¬ 
uel brothers and wives of three of them, with their offspring and 
other accomplices, have been for years and are yet carrying on 
a conspiracy that had for its foundation, murders—not murders 
in any right cause, in self defense, provocation or necessity. As 
appears, they preferred plunder as their occupation. Two of these 
four brothers wanted white women for wives, got them—a viola¬ 
tion of the laws of nature to begin with. Expecting their off¬ 
spring to turn out extraordinary, g'iving them opportunities that 
were entirely denied to myself, they found them to be inferior in 
form, features and intelligence to both parents, and I know that 
both Lucy and Laura often shed tears over their mistakes in mar¬ 
rying out of the white race. Their children were naturely sloven, 
indolent and selfish towards their mothers—their best friends, 
who enslaved themselves waiting on them and trying to bring them 
up to the standard of average white children. There are brown 
and black bear, both distinctly bear. They roam and live in the 
woods together, in the same climate, under same conditions, yet 
there is no trouble among them because of color, for each chooses 
mates of their own color. Other animals and birds do likewise. 
How about the human form? I have seen no improvement in the 
offspring of the brown and white races of human form, and both 
brown and white parents are most invariably disappointed with 
their offspring. Why not brown and white races be equal to the 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


77 


animals in these respects? Why be unreasonable, immoral and 
persecuting to each other, you of human form, because you are 
brown, white or black? Each can improve their own kind without 
treachery and bloodshed, if you will try. Their plot began no 
later than 1865, as will be seen, has continued and is yet going 
on; by which the lives and property of other people are endan¬ 
gered. I have been misrepresented by them in Courts and or* 
Court Records by false witness and my life continuously in jeop¬ 
ardy from them and their accomplices. This alleged David and 
David A. Manuel, of the four, with his wife Laura, have falsely 
claimed me to be theirs; to conceal the true identity of my parents 
and relatives, to dispose of me and rob me out of my inheritance, 
as will appear, from missing relatives, who have been missing 
since I knew them. 

Laura, as will appear, had designs of her own individual in¬ 
terests apart from other members of her gang in retaining me with 
her, and prevented her ex-husband the alleged David Manuel, one 
of the four, from getting me into his custody, with a view to dis¬ 
posing of me herself, to retain or get into her possession land, 
that I was the true heir to. 

It is not reasonable to suppose what many can be witness to, 
that I, a fair complexioned white child, could have been the 
natural daughter of the said and alleged David Manuel, one of the 
four, who had a skin as colored as most American Indians, v ith 
hair and whiskers as black as an Indian, with features and char¬ 
acteristics the reverse of mine, who never did treat me like his own 
children, never made me a present, or contributed anything 
towards my support and threatened to kill me, meaning what he 
said, that such a man as this could have been my natural father? 
More—I had neither form, features or characteristics like his wife, 
Laura C., and did not resemble any of their children. 

Several times, I remember, Laura informed me during the 
years of 1868-1870, that she had been attending Court, trying to 
get a divorce from Dave; sometimes she would tell me she had 
spent the day with Lucy; sometimes she omitted all mention a» 
to where she had been, what doing, or whom she met. I was too 
prudent and cautious to inquire; her actions and facial expres¬ 
sions on some of these occasions being signals of danger; though 
I never noticed any indications of either she or the other said 


78 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


Manuels I knew, being under the influence of intoxicating drinks 
or drugs. They were, to my observation, temperate to the ex¬ 
treme, in these matters. 

An out-of-door life was mine during summer school vacation 
days and for the most part a solitary one, along the river bank or 
among the tall corn, trees, bushes, vegetation tame and wild, in 
search of beetles, insects, leaves etc., which I gathered to pass the 
time and amuse myself with, in the yard surrounding the old 
house. I found after vigilant watching when Laura was absent 
from home, that the verdure in the yard obstructed my view to 
such an extent that I could not determine with any definite cer¬ 
tainty from the house or yard, as to whether or not any person 
came in the front or back gateways, or climbed over the fence; with 
no mention of the fact to Laura; sought and found a vantage place 
in a corner of the back part of the yard, farthest from the house, 
where I could climb the cross-board fence and make my escape 
in case of danger; here, also some of my time was spent in needle 
work and meditating about scenes and recollections of some per¬ 
sons I remembered and missed, whose loss brought tears to my 
eyes. Laura tried to persuade me there was no danger of Dave’s 
entering the yard; yet when I thought of the kind of person he 
was, I did not see how she could be so positive on this point of 
view, and came to the conclusion that my chances for escape would 
be better from the yard than the house. We had very few callers, 
and it was a rare case that any person called to disturb or relievt 
my solitude. Fearing to disobey Laura’s orders about being care¬ 
ful that no one came during her absence and “ransacked the place,” 
I did by spells, become venturesome and uncautious enough to 
search the yard and house once, sometimes oftener, a day, to see 
if anything was missing or disturbed by some invader who could, 
without difficulty, have entered unobserved by me, no matter 
how faithful my efforts in this particular might have been. It 
was on some of these occasions that I met with some wonderful, 
mysterious warnings and experiences, which proved to me that I 
had some invisible friend or friends, who at times, by warnings, 
prevented my being murdered when small, helpless and defense¬ 
less, when young and ignorant to the awful designs of a murderous 
conspiracy that I was ignorant of. Being naturally healthy, cheer¬ 
ful, busy, disposed to try to make the best of my chances and 


LINKS OP MYSTE1RY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


79 


dispel gloomy thought, I did sometimes almost fancy myself free 
from danger like other girls appeared to be, and was venture¬ 
some for one of my circumstances. Laura diligently saw to it 
that I was given no opportunity to learn of plots of crime and 
their causes; therefore, I was more ignorant on these subjects 
than average girls of my age, and did often ask myself the ques¬ 
tion : “What have I ever done to cause Dave or any other person 
to desire my death to the extent that they should be continuously 
seeking a chance to accomplish my murder?” The most that I had 
heard Dave say as to why, was when he said to Laura soon after 
the mysterious murder was accomplished in his blacksmith shop 
in 1867, to the effect: 

“Larry, you’d better let me take Nellie and dispose of her, so 
she can’t cause us any more trouble. I think you’re makin’ a mis¬ 
take by keepin’ ’er and you’ll regret it some day if you don’t let 
me git rid of ’er. She’s liable to git us all into trouble yet.” 

I often thought of these expressions and would like to have 
known all that Dave meant by them, for I did not observe that I 
was any more expense or trouble to take care of than their boys. 
I will relate an experience that took place in the year of 1869 or 
1870—I do not now remember the year exact: 

It was after 12 p. m., on a quiet summer day, when I went 
from my vantage place in a corner of the yard to see if anything 
had been disturbed in the house; saw that the front door was wide 
open as I had left it, and without fear or apprehension of danger 
from within, having no thoughts of it, I ran boldly, uncautiously 
up the front steps and fell sprawling, face downward to the porch, 
from which I sustained no injury to speak of, though the cause I 
could not account for, being exceptionally sure and fleet-footed 

_I did not stumble—my feet for an instant did not move—I felt no 

touch—it was no less than a mysterious fall. However, it was a 
preventative of my dashing full speed into the house. Soon rising 
to my feet I walked across the porch to the door instead of run¬ 
ning across it as I had often previously done without falling or 
stumbling. When in the act of stepping into the room, instantly, 
I was seized with a fear that caused me to stop as abruptly as 
though I had come against a wall, and I felt the presence of som^ 
power invisible to my eyes, by whose influence in a flash of time, 
I understood that I -was in danger from some individual hidden 



80 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


in the house, with murderous intent; who was in anticipation of my 
arrival therein; that my chance for escape was to retreat 
with all speed possible to my vantage place in the yard, climb 
the fence with no delay, flee from the premises and conceal my¬ 
self for the time being. Instantly I turned, crossed the porch, 
went down the steps, through the yard with the ease of one float¬ 
ing through air, all performed in silence—yet feeling no touch—■ 
from the time I reached the door of the house until I climbed the 
fence and ran away as directed to a place of concealment, where 
I sat and wondered in meditation, feeling comforted; believing 
I had one, if not more friends, though invisible to my eyes, who 
had accomplished my warning and rescue from murderous hands 
within the house. The fear and dread of returning to the house 
had left me by the time Laura’s arrival was expected. When I saw 
her turn the last corner near home, I was on time to meet her from 
the opposite direction, when she came through the front gateway, 
when she greeted-me with the question: 

“Nellie, has anyone been here today since I’ve been away?” 

My response came promptly without a tremor of voice: 

“I’ve seen no one here today.” 

We walked together to the side door of the sitting-room that 
was in some previous time the front entrance to the same old 
house when it faced an oak grove, where now stood houses and 
fences. As Laura was about to step into the front room, being 
in the lead, she suddenly stepped back with startled eyes and her 
face had turned ghastly. She stood silent for a moment or so, 
when we heard the sound of footsteps on the front steps and porch 
coming towards us, that proved to be those of Emma Ritchie, 
greeting Laura with the request: 

“Say, Mrs. Manuel, won’t you let Nellie go home with me, 
take supper at our house and stay all night? The folks are going- 
out to spend the evening. Someone’s got to stay there. Nellie 
could be company for me while they are gone.” 

The startled expression then went from Laura’s eyes, and the 
red returned to her face, accompanied by a voice expressive of 
gladness, as she answered unhesitatingly: 

“Yes, Emma, she can go with you. Come in a minute, till 

she's readv to start.” 

* 


links of Mystery and their unveiling. 


81 


Being pleased with the invitation, I very soon accompanied 
her home, where we spent an enjoyable evening together, and she 
came home with me about 9 o'clock in the morning. Not a word 
of mention came from Laura to me of what caused her face to 
blanch, her eyes to look so startled, where or how she spent her 
evening and night during my absence from home, I did not in¬ 
quire. Several other times at intervals apart, I was unexpectedly 
shocked with fear, by which I instantly understood there was dan¬ 
ger of some kind awaiting me in the house, and immediately took 
my departure from the premises. Fifteen years or more had 
elapsed before the thought dawned upon me to reveal these mon- 
derful warnings and rescues by the supernatural—mercies and 
kindness shown to a little wronged, helpless, defenseless, broken¬ 
hearted—in truth—orphan girl, though ingratitude was not the 
cause. The reason was, all thought of revealing them was taken 
from me by a power wiser and stronger than myself, who was 
friend or friends unseen by natural eyes. 

£■; x SKETCH 23. 

This SKETCH will be miscellaneous items, illustrations of 
facts, to show when linked with other SKETCHES and SCENES, 
how the true identity of my father, mother and other relatives 
was concealed by Laura and others; that Laura was a secret enemy 
tO' my rights and interests; that by false excuses she premedita- 
tively schemed with others to conceal and to prevent my develop¬ 
ing the gift to some degree that nature had given me from birth—- 
vocal and instrumental music, as well as other attainments where¬ 
by I could have been self-supporting and free from Laura and 
other alleged relatives I knew. 

I did not discover for a certainty, where, when and how the 
acquaintance of Dave and Laura came about with Mrs. Ritchie 
and family, of which I heard no mention; yet it was a foregone 
conclusion with me that Mrs. Ritchie was no other than the wo¬ 
man Dave talked to on the door steps having the peculiar laugh, 
who disputed Dave when he told her I was his “little gal." Scene 
15 . 

Altogether, there were quite a number of times throughout 
our occupancy of the old house by the Napa river when both Mrs. 


82 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


Ritchie and her daughter Emma called and requested of Laura 
my presence at their home over night, to which Laura readily 
gave her consent; however, the strangeness of these incidents 
were, that they were the only persons with whom Laura would 
consent to my remaining over night without her being present, 
which appears as though Mrs. Ritchie was her confident and 
trusted friend in this matter. I also recall several incidents of 
my accompanying Emma Ritchie out of Napa County after the 
year of 1867, while a very small girl; the strangeness in these 
cases being, that all allusion to these facts or the names of these 
places ceased altogether to be mentioned by them in my presence; 
as though they had some object in concealing them. 

Mrs. Ritchie and Emma were among* the first to advertise 
me in Napa City as the daughter of Laura and the only sister to 
her boys. The way this was brought about, was by their alluding 
to Laura as my mother, and her boys as my brothers; also by my 
being taught to address the alleged G. W. Manuel and wife as 
uncle and aunt and to speak of their children as my cousins; by 
addressing and speaking of Laura and Lucy’s brother, Isaac Gris¬ 
wold, his wife, his children, as uncle, aunt and cousins; thus ac¬ 
knowledging and advertising* them to be my relatives. 

After the Court gave Dave his two boys, Louis and Augustus, 
he no longer permitted them to address him as Dave, and taught 
them to address him as Pa-Pa; yet they continued to address their 
mother as Laura, during our time in Napa. After we left Napa, 
Laura taught her children to address her as Ma. I continued to 
address her as Laura, and never at any time did she ask or as much 
as hint that it was her desire for me to address her as mother, or 
in any word to that effect. Her eldest said son George continued 
also to address her as Laura, when I was present. 

By order of the Court, Louis and Augustus were permitted 
to visit us frequently in daytime, when on many occasions, after 
due cautioning about seeing to it that they did not fall into, the 
river, Laura trusted them in my care for rambles down the river 
and sometimes we went fishing. The boys appeared to think as 
much of me as they would a sister, and there was all to indicate 
then that they had been taught and believed me to be their sister; 
I being the only girl in the family of Dave and Laura from the 
first to the last, while a resident with them, the only one said 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


83 


to be the full sister of said George, Louis and Augustus Manuel; 
both in Napa and other places in the State of California, while I 
was with them. 

Every now and then Emma Ritchie did inquire of me: 

“Say, Nell, why don’t you call your mother, Mother? It 
sounds disrespectful to hear children address their mother by her 
given name, and there is George, Louis and Gus, they too, call 
her Laura. People think it strange, and make remarks about it. 
You ought to all turn over a new leaf and call her Mother; so 
people won’t say you treat your mother with disrespect.” 

My final explanation to these questions was in brief: 

“Emma, Laura does not wish me to call her mother, and 
would not allow me to. She says it would make her feel too old, 
to hear George and I calling her Mother.” 

“Well—if that aint the queerest thing I ever heard of! Nell, 
you must be lying to me. It don’t sound reasonable!” Emma 
exclaimed. 

I responded: “Emma, I’ll tell you what to do, to satisfy 
yourself whether I am telling you the truth or not. You ask Laura 
if she would like to have me call her mother, when I am present. 

I would like to hear her reply.” 

“It’s a go, Nell, I’ll do as you say. She must be a queer 

woman,” said Emma. 

At the first opportunity when we three were present, Emma 
inquired of Laura: “Say, Mrs. Manuel, why don’t you have your 
children call you Mother? It sounds queer to hear them all 
calling you Laura. If Nellie would call you Mother, I don’t 
think you’d have any trouble to get Louis and Gus to say Mother. 
You know there’s considerable difference between the ages of 
George and Nellie; George is older than me. It sounds disrespect¬ 
ful to hear your children calling you Laura, now don’t it, Mrs. 

Manuel?” 

Laura’s face flushed, she appeared confused and hesitatingly 
answered: “No, Emma, I would rather Nellie would call me 
Laura; it would make me feel too old to hear Nellie calling me 
Mother. When George and Nellie was small, Dave and me taught 
them to call us by our given names, because it would make us 
feel too old to hear them saying Mother and Father, and Louis 
and Gus learned it from George and Nellie.” 


g4 LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 

Laura was not liberal with me at any time, when and where 
it was not absolutely necessary to carry out and to cover plot and 
conspiracy to evade law and detection—to use some of their 
phrases: ‘To satisfy the public; to prevent there being too many 
questions asked/' If Laura was at any time liberally disposed 
aside from her own children, her sister Lucy and family, her 
brother Isaac Griswold and family, I saw no indications of it 
throughout our residence in Napa City—she concealed the fact 
from me, excepting the Ritchie family. She was, to my obser¬ 
vation, liberal with them. Whatever the cause or reason for her 
so being with the latter, was more than I was aware of. I simply 
mention this particular to illustrate my case—for it is a case of 
mystery; not that I was in the least displeased with any and all 
Laura gave and loaned them that I was aware of, they were our 
most intimate neighbors, our most frequent calleis and visitors, 
our only continuous friends in Napa City from the year of 1858. 
Emma Ritchie was the only girl with whom Laura permitted my 
exchanging calls and visit with, or going out of the county with 
continuously that I remember, during our entire time together 
in the County of Napa; thus noticeable and questionable, how¬ 
ever it came about. 

Nature endowed me with love of music, strong lungs and a 
voice fit to be developed into a singer of some degree. My mem¬ 
ory has retained from a little child when less than three and a 
half years old, some fragments of incidents when I was with 
some man—a musician, who stood me on a table to sing for him 
with the accompaniment of his violin, the little song entitled: 
“There is a Happy Land.” He might have been my father. These 
incidents are disconnected in memory with other occurrences, 
yet they are evidence with other reasons that from my birth I 
possessed natural requirements necessary to develop into a vocal 
and instrumental musician. Music was charming and life vacant 
and incomplete to me without it. Of all accomplishments, my first 
most ardent desire wtis to practice and learn to read both vocal 
and instrumental music, the harp being my favorite of any single 
instrument to accompany the voice. I relate these facts to illus¬ 
trate my case. Every little while from a small girl I coaxed and 
tried my best to persuade Laura to let me take music lessons, 
whose usual response was to the sum: 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


85 


“I’m loo poor now to pay for your music lessons, I expect to 
have some more money before long, then maybe I will have 
enough to pay for them; but I can’t afford it now." 

While I was a small girl, she put me off in this way, making 
it appear that she w r as willing that I should have the lessons, 
poverty being her excuse. Continuing at school, I there learned 
from scholars white, colored races of various mixtures, some of 
wealth, some of moderate wealth and some whose parents earned 
their living by days’ labor, who possessed neither house or lot 
they could call their own, all interested to some extent to have 
their children learn what they could about music, many of whom 
could never be singers, had no love for instrumental music and 
complained because they were compelled to practice their music 
lessons; whereas, I could have learned to play most any kind of 
a musical instrument without a teacher, though I was ignorant 
to the fact then. I learned also that some young people, some 
older and younger than myself, sang in concerts and musical enter¬ 
tainments and received recompense for the same; that some young 
men and women earned their living by teaching both instrumental 
and vocal music. I contrasted the vast difference of most natural 
parents with their children with the kind of a person Laura was to 
me, how different aunts and uncles treated their nephews and 
nieces to what my alleged Manuel relatives were to me, began 
to realize and to regret more and more that I had been so unfor¬ 
tunate as to have met them. Nevertheless, I was determined and 
persevering, saw possibilities that with any knd of a fair chance 
to become acquainted with certain people of wealth and influence, 
they would, very probably, help me out of my difficulties, so 
that I could earn the necessary wherewith to pay for my music 
lessons until I could travel and earn my own living by music; then 
I could get clear of Laura and her gang, was my delightful con¬ 
templation. Seeing that others of less natural musical degree, 
had done so well as to become teachers of music, I thought surely 
there ought to be some kind of a chance for me, if I persevered. 
How I did wish that Laura would allow me to have acquaintances 
and friends_only good enough to allow me some of the privi¬ 

leges so commonly extended to other girls of both wealthy and 
poverty-poor parents! Laura taught me nothing at home that 
would aid my personal advancement in knowledge or in the 


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most ordinary duties of civilized life. She did not permit me to 
visit with any person or family who kept any kind of a musical 
instrument in their home and would not under any circumstance 
rent or buy one of any description for me. I asked Laura to let 
me take several piano lessons on trial, my secret object being* to 
let some musician of influence hear and gave his opinion of what 
I might be capable of, thinking his influence might aid me. 

“No, I can’t afford it now, though I may be able to in a short 

time,” came her usual response. 

I learned more and more that Laura obtained money some¬ 
how or somewhere to spend on herself and boys, while I was held 
like a stinted boarder and night lodger in the home. I could not 
feel resigned to give up the music lessons, and the idea dawned 
to my mind, if I could learn to do some kind of work I might earn 
the money to pay for the music lessons without lingering for 
Laura to furnish the money; so with the music lessons in view, 
I tried persuading her to allow Emma Ritchie to teach me how to 
do general housework, cooking, etc., thinking I might earn some 
money during school vacations, that Laura had hitherto compelled 
me for the most part to while away in solitude; so I began in a 
manner as follows: 

“Laura,” said I, “just think how Emma Ritchie helps her 
mother. Won’t you let me help you? I think I am stout and old 
enough to cook and do the housework for us—it would make it 
easier for you and you would have more time to go visiting and 
calling. I think Emma will show me, so that I can learn without 
your being bothered to teach me.” 

Laura really looked startled at this request, gave her answer 
decisive and to the point: “Why! What has struck you now— 
all of a sudden? There’s only three of us, George don’t eat here 
when Em away, you live on cookies and fruit most of the time 
when I’m gone—there aint much cooking to be done. You live 
out of doors and don’t dirty the house up when I’m away, and what 
little house work there’s to be done, I prefer to do it myself. I 
don't need your help and won’t tolerate your mussing and slopping 
around the house learning to cook. You can learn when you’re 
older.” 

I held private consultation with Emma on the subject of 
cooking. She volunteered to teach me to cook and to intercede 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


87 


with Laura on the subject for me. Some of their conversation in 
brief will give a more correct idea as to what Laura was and how 
she was with me on the subject of learning how to do any kind of 
work, than I could describe, showing plot, design and false re¬ 
presentation with other accounts. 

Emma said to Laura: “Say, Mrs. Manuel, why don’t you let 
Nellie do the housework? It would make it easiar for you. I’ll 
teach her to cook if you will let her come over to our house when 
I’m cooking.” 

“No, Emma, she’ll stay in doors too much if I allow her to do 
housework and learn to cook. I’ve had a hard time to raise that 
girl—I must keep her out of doors in open air till she’s stronger,” 
came Laura’s deceitful and designing response, giving Emma a 
meaning glance, that I guessed was to give the impression that 
I was somewhat inclined to insanity, from other gestures and re¬ 
marks I had on previous occasions heard and seen. 

Emma looked puzzled and doubtful at Laura, as though at 
a loss to guess her meaning, why she objected to my doing cooking 
and housework, replied: 

“Why, Mrs. Manuel, I meant it for Nellie’s good. She said 
she would like to learn, and I’m willing to teach her with your 
consent.” 

“No, Emma, I don’t want her to learn,” came Laura’s usual 
response. 

A few days later I chanced to meet a girl near my size who 
informed me that she was then on her way to the home of Mrs. 
Bush, late of San Francisco, a teacher of needle work, crocheting, 

tatting, etc. 

“I am taking lessons of her,” she said, “why don’t you get 
your mother to let you take lessons? It don’t cost much—only 
twenty-five cents a lesson.” 

This put another idea into my head as to how I might earn 
some money to pay for music lessons. I went home and resumed 
my effort to get Laura interested in fancy work and asked her 
for twenty-five cents to pay for one lesson in tatting. “Only 
one lesson,” I pleaded, “only twenty-five cents.” 

“I can’t afford the money now,” she said, “I’m tired of your 
asking for money to learn something. You go to school, you 


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have your school books—I’d think they ought to be enough for 
you for awhile, at least.” 

A few days after this incident found me standing on the 
river bank in front of the old house where the boats were tied, 
wondering why I could not find out who the boats belonged to, 
when I observed a Mrs. Wheeling, a near neighbor of ours, stand¬ 
ing at her back gate beckoning to me. I contrived to slip around 
to her back gate without Laura’s observation and was invited into 
her house. Mrs. Wheeling was kind and motherly-like to me, one 
whom I could have loved and respected as a mother. When we 
were seated, we had a friendly interview and took a liking to 
each other. She kindly explained to me the danger of walking and 
running too near the river bank—she sounded like a real mother. 

“It must worry your mother,” she said. 

“I have no reason to think my going to the river bank ever 
worries her in the least, about falling in, ’ said I. “She has never 
once mentioned the subject to me that I remember, and I feel quite 
sure I would remember it if she had.” 

“There is danger of your getting drowned—it is a dangerous 
bank and river,” she said, “it worries me and it worries others, to 
see you there alone so often.” 

After explaining to her that I understood the danger of the 
river bank and would be very cautious when I went there— 
noticing a neat-looking tidy trimmed with tatting made from 
wrapping cord, I said to her: 

“How pretty that tatting looks on the tidy. How glad I would 
feel if I could make tatting like that. All in the room looks so 
neat, home-like and cheerful, it is no wonder to me that you like 
home.” 

Then kind Mrs. Wheeling volunteered to teach me, giving 
me a lesson before I left her house. After three lessons and some 
practice, I succeeded in making the kind of tatting she taught 
me. This was all done without Laura’s knowledge, and we 
agreed to keep the fact a secret for the time being. 

Laura was opposed to my learning to sew or to do most any¬ 
thing by which I might earn money, particularly anything 
that I liked to do or had natural ability for.. She could not pre¬ 
vent my singing at school with other scholars, though she saw r to 
it that I was prohibited from singing or performing at school 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


89 


exhibitions where or in any manner that I or my voice could 
attract any attention from the audience or visitors who chanced to 
be present. I wrote compositions at school, but to attempt to write 
any kind of a story or composition ot home, was out of the line 
of Laura’s allowances so far as I was concerned. I never knew 
or heard of any one of her children from the first to last attempt¬ 
ing to write any, or say they had any desire to. Through the in¬ 
fluence and persuasion of Mrs. Ritchie and Emma, Laura con¬ 
sented to my practicing to make button-holes and sewing quilt- 
blocks together. 

“Mrs. Ritchie,” I said one day, “why do you suppose Laura 
allows me to attend school?” 

At this question Mrs. Ritchie broke out into one of her pe¬ 
culiar laughs, replying: “Because she is compelled to—that’s 
why.” 

Laura forbade me visiting or calling on girls with whom I 
became acquainted at school and forbade my inviting them to call 
or to visit at our home, saying: 

“Lucy associates with the shoddy aristocracy of the town and 
I don’t want their company and I can't afford to entertain them. 
They only come to see what I’ve got in the house, what I’ve got 
to eat, then go away and talk about it." 

SKETCH 24. 

MYSTERIOUS AND EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCES. 

There is an enclosure called Jack’s place pleasantly located 
on an L-formed wind of the Napa river called Jack’s bend, at a 
southerly termination of Napa City, Napa County, California. 
This place during the ’60’s had no other enclosure near it, and the 
whole presented an appearance that was pleasing. This yard 
contained a vegetable garden, small vineyard, orchard and decora¬ 
tions; a white, one-story house, that stood at its north end about 
twenty-Yive feet from a high steep bank of the river, that was 
fringed in a long line with a variety of wild trees intermingled 
with bushes and foliage that covered the side of the steep bank, 
meeting the tule at the water’s edge; along this line of trees and 
bushes was a foot-path leading to the back door of the house. The 
river served for a fence on one side and the south end of this 


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place; the north end and the other side was enclosed by a high, 
sharp, unpainted picket fence to the edge of the south bank where 
a short cross-board fence was joined to keep out cattle at low tide. 

A little scene, some of which is yet vivid in memory, is my 
first recollection of Jack’s place, that occurred at some date dur¬ 
ing the first part of the ’60’s; before I remember of meeting the 
couple who taught me to address them by the names, Laura and 
Dave. The walkways at the front and sides of this house then 
were profusely lined with a variety of flowers. A concourse of 
people was in the yard by the house talking of the beauty and 
fragrance of the flowers and admiring the place in general. 

WAS SHE MY MOTHER? 

During this occasion I was walking in this flower garden 
with a woman who was leading and amusing me with the flowers; 
for I was a little child then. Although her face and the certainty 
of her identity has since gone from my memory, there remains 
an impression of her during this scene—a something I cannot 
explain, that causes me to think that she was no other than the 
person I have named herein My Mother, who disappeared from 
the old house by the Napa river, that was situated about half a 
mile north of Jack’s place, though not so near the river. 

At some date near the early ’70’s, this Jacks family vacated 
their home on the bend and occupied a new residence on Grant 
Avenue, near the residence of my alleged uncle and aunt, Mr. 
G. W. and Lucy Manuel. Their place at the bend soon became 
occupied by a family who were acquaintances of the Ritchie 
family. One evening at sunset, Emma Ritchie invited me to ac¬ 
company her to Jack's place on the bend, saying she wished to 
see a friend there, who was going to move away the day follow¬ 
ing; so to the bend we went. A young lady in her twenties met 
and greeted us at the front door, invited us into the parlor, where 
she and Emma had a social chat for about twenty minutes, I being 
for the most part a silent listener, when some conversation took 
place to the effect: 

Said Emma to her friend: “I don’t see why you want to move 
away?” 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


91 


“We are suited with the place—all but for one thing; we can¬ 
not use the dining room/’ said the lady. 

“What is the matter with the dining room?” Emma inquired. 

“There is something about it—we cannot explain, or account 
for,” said the lady. “We feel a queer sensation when we go into 
the dining room. At first, we felt it very little; but the strange 
sensation kept growing stronger each time we entered, until we 
could not use the dining room at all. We talked the matter over 
and concluded that the sooner we could vacate the place, the better, 
and we are going to move all out of the house tomorrow.” 

“Is this the positive truth?” Emma asked, her trembling voice 
and wild eyes betraying her fear, at the surprising news. 

“It is the truth,” her friend replied. 

I had begun to feel very uncomfortable at the announcement, 
w r ondering what it could be in the dining room—at the same time 
noting the expression of Emma’s face—that seemed to say: I 
wonder if there is any danger of “the queer sensation” getting 
into the parlor? As though to get out of the house as easily as 
possible without alarming her friend, Emma turned to me and 
announced: 

“Say, Nell, it is getting dark already. I’m afraid to cross the 
commons after dark with just you alone, and we had better be 
going before it gets any darker.” To her friend she said: 

“I’ll be down tomorrow and see you before you go away.” 

After a few sentences, we bade the young lady good-evening 
and hastened away—in fact, we ran most of the way home. My 
curiosity was very much aroused to know more about the cause 
of the “queer sensation” in the dining room, often wondering 
about it afterwards; and, strange to relate, the thought of men¬ 
tioning the subject had no place in my thoughts, for years to 
come. I think the same was true with Emma, for she never men¬ 
tioned or alluded to the same subject, that I ever heard of, not 
even to me. This was the first and last I remember of seeing any 
part of the interior of this house. 

Tenants came and went from Jack’s place on the bend. When 
the house had all appearance of being vacant, the one and only 
gate at the front of the house was securely fastened with a chain 
and lock. Every now and then during my practice of running, 
when a small girl, I went to take a look at this place, gazing 


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through the high picket fence at the wild trees and bushes that 
grew along the high bank at the opposite side of the yai d; they 
were fascinating to me, for I did like to explore the river bank. 
At times when the whole place had every appearance of being 
vacated, my mind was fully made up to climb over the short cross¬ 
board fence at a south corner of the yard, that was over the 
water at high tide, and the farthest distance in the yard fiom the 
house, cross the yard at the south end and explore the high bank 
where the trees were, when, suddenly, I thought of the “queer 
sensations’’ in the dining room of the house, that Emma s friend 
had told us of, and impulsively deserted the premises at once. 
Twice a little later, I ventured a few steps into the yard at the far 
corner described, when, impulsively, I reclimbed the short fence 
and ran away from the place as before. My final venture in Jack’s 
yard proved to be a strange and extraordinary experience, that 
was as follows: 

It was on a quiet Sunday, summer day, I think during the 
year of 1871, when I chanced to take a solitary stroll—that is, 
solitary so far as I was aware—to the far corner of Jack’s yard, 
where the bank was low and void of bushes and wild trees; where 
a clear view could be had, there being only a thin line of tide at 
the water line at high tide. A tannery and some buildings apper¬ 
taining to it, was then near by, where quite a number of persons 
were employed, was silent and apparently deserted, this day being 
Sunday. The long block at the side of Jack’s yard, was at this 
time fenced, containing two or more houses at its north end. 

There was some excellent looking fruit in the Jacks orchard, 
nevertheless, I had not been susceptible to its temptation until 
this day; for we had no doubt as good, and some perhaps better, 
in our yard surrounding the old house. It had been some little time 
since I viewed this place, the house at the upper end, that was once 
white, looked weather-beaten, unoccupied and forbidding; the 
wild vegetation had grown up in the orchard, that I observed 
appeared unbroken, undisturbed, and the whole place appeared 
altogether forsaken and uncared for. I was some older at this date 
and thought myself stronger than when I last ventured into this 
yard. 

About equal distance of the south end of the yard and sev-j 
eral feet from a low, steep part of the river bank, in a cozy little 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


93 


spot, stood a June apple tree, loaded with fruit, presenting' a scene 
beautiful to behold and tempting to the extreme. Impulsively, I 
climbed the short cross-board fence and was soon gathering* fruit 
from the tree, then seated myself on the ground underneath with 
back turned towards the house and face towards the river. I had 
only enjoyed the delicious June apples a few minutes, when a won¬ 
derful surprise greeted my ears. “Nellie!” sounded a voice I had 
heard when a little child that gave me a glad thrill. Quickly 
rising to my feet, I hastened and looked over the bank expecting 
to see and meet the person who spoke my name; but to my 
astonishment, no visible person was in view of my gaze in any 
direction, and there was no place where they could cenceal them¬ 
selves along this bank or in the near vicinity. I stood wondering 
where the voice came from, when suddenly an awful fright seized 
me, as though some one was about to kill me; then came like a 
flash, an impression from some invisible power and influence not 
made known to me, that some dangerous individual was approach¬ 
ing in my direction in search of me. From this impression I was 
caused to understand that I had no time to lose and to effect 
an escape, must reclimb the cross-board fence and run as rapidly 
as possible to the open commons that was between this yard and 
the block where the old house of our residence was situated. For 
about a minute's time the fright I had experienced was so weak¬ 
ening, that 1 could not move or speak, immediately after which, 
I felt free and stronger than before. Heeding the warning, I ran 
—how rapidly, I do not know. I was climbing the cross-board 
fence, from the top of which I leaped over an inlet of water to 
the ground ; a feat I had not accomplished before, or would not 
thought of attempting. I had no more than touched the ground 
than I regained the use of my feet and was running at first, when 
came my wonderful experience. I was being rapidly conveyed 
through the air near the ground, though I felt no touch, saw no 
apparition. When I came to the center of the commons I stood 
on the ground and took a searching view in all directions, wonder¬ 
ing how it had all been accompliced and by whom? I wondered 
where the voice came from that spoke to me and who the indi¬ 
vidual was, that was in search of me? Not a person was visible 
to my eyes anywhere. Soon regaining my usual composure, I 
walked home undisturbed, meditating. Another strange feature 


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of the occurrence was, that all thought of revealing this extra¬ 
ordinary experience, did not once occur to my mind—not for years 
to come. Thus ended my adventures at Jack’s place to the 
present date. 

SKETCH 25. 

A CONTINUATION OF MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS ALONG 
THE LINES OF MYSTERY AND CONSPIRACY- 
ALL TRUE, AS' I RELATE THEM. 

Napa City, is situated in the beautiful Napa Valley, along the 
Napa river, that was for the most part during my time there, 
built on one side of the river. At the upper part of town, on the 
opposite side of the river, on the County road going towards the 
cemetery, was a settlement of people of the dark shade and black- 
complexioned variety, known as Mexicans, Indians, some inter¬ 
mingled, who called themselves Spanish, from which the place 
derived the name of Spanish Town. Many of these people very 
much resemble my alleged uncle, the alleged George W. Manuel 
and his brother Dave, in facial color, features and expression. 
The climate of Napa Valley is moderate and contained many 
orchards and vineyards of excellent fruit, both in and out of the 
town of Napa. At the foot of Brown Street is the Steamer Land¬ 
ing, near and south of which is a long, three-cornered block, next 
to the river bank, that I was taught was owned by my alleged 
uncle, George W. Manuel, where the bank is high and steep to the 
water’s edge; there being a roadway between this bank and the 
same block. At a southerly corner of this block facing Grant 
Avenue, was the residence of the alleged G. W. Manuel and 
family, that was their residence from the first to the last that I 
knew them while in Napa City. This extensive block was later 
filled with houses and lots, all said to be sold or owned by Mr, 
G. W. Manuel; that amounted to a fortune within itself. Some of 
the families that I knew by sight during my time in Napa, 
occupying tenement houses on this block, were, namely: Capt 
Wines and family; a Mr. Shaffer and family; a Mrs. Parker and 
family: Isaac Griswold and family, and others I did not know. 

A large brick building was next to the steamer landing, where 
later, Laura, Lucy and others said that G. W. Manuel was en¬ 
gaged with a Mr. Ellis in the warehouse business. Mr. Ellis 
very much resembled Mr. G. W. Manuel in size, form, facial 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


95 


features, expression and color—enough, in fact, to have been his 
brother, though I never once heard it said, or so much as hinted, 
that they were any near relation. This Mr. Ellis was a brother- 
in-law to Dr. Pond, of Napa City, who controlled or owned a 
drug store on Main Street, Napa, where George S., Laura’s eldest 
son, was employed. A building on Main Street, Napa, where 
wagon wheels were for a while made or repaired in the name of 
G. W. Manuel, a residence that stood on one or two lots, on a 
corner of Fourteenth and Castro streets, Oakland, Alameda Coun¬ 
ty, comprised all the land and houses in the State of California, 
that I heard any mention or hint of, that was said to belong to the 
same G. W. Manuel, his wife or children, until the year of 1900. 

I had learned to make the tatting with thread as well as with 
wrapping cord that Mrs. Wheeling taught me, and one day 
chanced to meet Emma Ritchie on a street by the block where we 
resided, when I announced: 

“Emma, I have actually learned to do something—strange 
as it may sound to your ears.” 

“Why—Nell! You don’t mean to tell me!” almost shouted 
Emma, “What is it?” 

“Yes, Emma, it is true; here is a sample of my work.” 

“Well—goodness gracious, Nell, whoever taught you to make 
tatting?” came her inquiry. 

“Our good neighbor, Mrs. Wheeling, taught me,” I said, then 
I explained how it came about. 

“You need a shuttle to wind your thread on, Nell,” said Emma, 
“Why don’t you get your mother to buy you one? They don’t cost 
more than ten cents; you could get along much faster. I wouldn’t 
have the patience to make it, myself.” 

She don’t know I can make it. You know she is not in favor 
of my learning, and I am afraid she won’t buy it for me,” I ex¬ 
plained. 

Ell go with you to her and I think between the two of us—if 
we stay with it, we can get the money to buy the shuttle,” was 
Emma’s response. 

Laura was surprised when we showed her the tatting, was dis¬ 
pleased, and gave me strict orders to keep away from Mrs. Wheel¬ 
ing. It required much coaxing before Laura would consent and 


,5 LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 

furnish the ten cents necessary to procure the shuttle, which was 
finally handed to Emma, saying: 

“My sister Lucy likes tatting to trim her clothes and May’s 
with. I prefer to have Nellie make some for her, before any¬ 
body else. She can afford to pay well for it and Ell see her about 

it tomorrow when I go up there.” 

When I had made five yards of tatting, Laura took it away, 

and on her return, handed me the money she said Lucy had paid 
her for the tatting. I felt pleased and encouraged with the money, 
seeing a very good prospect to earn the necessary money to pay 
for the music lessons I had so hoped to obtain. Several days 
after this episode I met Emma on her way to our house, when she 
inquired how much Lucy Manuel had paid for the tatting. She 
was astonished, when I told her the amount Laura handed me. 
She answered excitedly: 

“Goodness gracious! You don’t mean to tell me do you, Nell, 
that was all Lucy Manuel paid for the tatting? You re telling me 
the truth, are you, Nell?” 

“Of course I am,” said I, “What reason would I have to make 
up any story about it? That would not be the right way to do 

business.” 

“You could have sold it to the stores for twice that price, and 
they could have sold it for enough to have made a profit on it,” 
Emma declared. 

“I don't have a chance to find out prices like you do, Emma, 

I said. 

We went to the old house together forming some plausible 
excuse, Emma succeeded in persuading Laura to consent to my 
accompanying her to the business portion of the town, took me 
to a store, where a clerk verified her statement in regards to the 
price of the tatting, to the sum: That Lucy had defrauded me at 
least half, on the price, of the tatting. “I can sell all the tatting 
brought to me that is clean and nicely made,” said the clerk. To 
be sure there was no mistake about it, he showed us some tatting- 
like that I had sold to Lucy, I had made nice, clean and fine. We 
also saw tatting collars for sale, rated to be worth from three to 
five dollars apiece, from which I copied and made collars as nice. 
I bought more thread from the money I had earned, and diligently 


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97 


resumed my work, E mma found me hid in the yard later, when 
she encouragingly announced: 

Say, Nell, you ought to be rewarded for your patience and 
industry. Do you know you are getting to be an expert at tatting 
making?” 

“If I can sell all I can make, I will be very glad,” said I. 

“Are you making tatting for your aunt or for the store?” 
Emma inquired. 

“I would rather sell it to the store,” I said, “because I can 
get more for it.” 

“I wouldn’t think you’d want to make any more for your aunt,” 
she said. "If I had an aunt with the money and haughty airs she puts 
on, who would not condescend to invite me to her house, and was 
so pilfering as to defraud me on the price of a little tatting, I tell 
you it would be a long time before I would recogmize or own her 
for an aunt of mine. I don’t know what your mother could be 
thinking of, to have allowed Lucy Manuel to cheat you on the 
tatting the way she did—and her living in wealth and luxury to 
do a trick like that to her own niece!” 

“Laura appears to think most anything right that aunt Lucy 
does and says to to me,” I complained. “Emma, if you are a 
friend of mine, help me if you can, to sell my tatting. Don’t say 
any more about the money Lucy defrauded me out of, it is liable 
to make matters worse for me instead of making them better.” 

“Say, Nell, your mother don’t act like a real mother to you, 
and I am not the only one who has observed it. Tell me, Nellie, 
is she your mother?” 

“You have asked me a hard question, Emma,” said I. From 
a little child I have remembered Laura, and how could any one so 
small prove to the contrary? What good would it do? You know 
Dave wants to take me away from her, and you know that 1 have 
a horror of him. Uncle George and Aunt Lucy, might be on 
Dave’s side, to try to cause Laura all the trouble they can about 
me, so that Dave can get some excuse to persuade the Court to 
appoint him as my guardian. Now if you are any friend of mine, 
you will do all you can to prevent my going with him,” I ex¬ 
plained. 

“There might be something in that,” said Emma, “but it does 
look to me as though she could do better by you, if she wanted 


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to. She don’t act like a mother to you.” 

I made more tatting and Laura sent me to a store one day 
on an errand for her, that gave me an opportunity to sell my 
tatting. To my surprise and disappointment the clerk politely 
told me the tatting was neat and in every way satisfactory; but 
we can have no dealings with you,” he said, because you are under 
age, and we will get into trouble, if we buy your tatting. We 

have been notified to that effect. 

I was weeping when I stopped on my way home to consult 

Mrs. Ritchie and Emma about the difficulty, when Emma followed 

me to her gate and whispered: 

“Let me have the tatting, Nell, I’ll sell it for you and bring 
you the money.” 

In a few days Emma brought me the full price for the 
tatting, that afforded me some consolation. Laura gave me strict 
orders that I could sell no more tatting, unless I would consent 
to make it for her sister Lucy. Angry and desperate my re¬ 
sponse came quick and decided. 

“If Lucy waits until I make her any more tatting, she will 

wait a good while. She can afford to pay me the full price for 

it, and I will not work for her.” 

“What do you intend to do with the money Emma paid you 

for the tatting?” Laura asked. 

“I am saving it to pay for music lessons,” said I. 

“Well, I’m going to tell you something, Nellie,” she said. 
“When the Court gave you into my custody, I told the Judge I was 
competent to support you. Dave wants to get the custody of you, 
and the only way I could prevent the old scoundrel from getting 
you, was to swear that I was competent to support you. If he 
finds out you are earning any money, he is very apt to use it for 
all it is worth as an argument to persuade the Court to give you 
to him. He has more money to offer for favors than I have, and 
is very likely to get his petition granted, if he is given any chance. 
His brother George is a dangerous man and cannot be trusted so 
far as you are concerned. It is necessary for me to try to pacify 
both George and Lucy, so that they will not use their influence 
to aid Dave. If Dave gets you into his clutches, you will not live 
long to trouble anybody, and I guess you are not anxious to go 

with him.” 


LINKS OP MYSTElRY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


99 


“Laura/’ said I, “you know that Lucy lives in luxury and can 
well afford to pay me the right price for tatting I make for ^er; 
and you know that was a mean, contemptible trick of her to 
defraud me the way she did. I don’t want to do any more work 
for her.” 

This proved to be my last work for Lucy 

Laura continued: “Mrs. Ritchie was saying the other day, 
that you needed new clothes. We must not get the enmity of the 
Ritchie family. They’ve been some of my best witnesses against 
Dave, and we must pacify them. If you’ll let me take the money 
you’ve earned, I’ll have enough to buy the clothes with, that Mrs. 
Ritchie insists on you having; and I think I can get money before 
long to help you out on the music lessons. We must now do all 
we can to thwart Dave in his plans to prevent him from getting 
you into his custody.” 

Laura neither permitted me to earn any more money or to retain 
any in my possession, during the remainder of our time in Napa. 
I let her have the money, what else could I do? I will not weary 
my readers by attempting to describe in detail the disappoint^ 
ments and aggravations that my alleged Manuel relation caused 
me. 

SKETCH 26. 

OUR TOUR IN SONOMA COUNTY. 

Early one summer morning of 1872, Laura announced: 

“Nellie, I’m going to take a trip to Santa Rosa, Sonoma 
County, to see the country and have a little visit with the Caldwell 
folks. You remember they lived next door to us for awhile. 
They tell me it is a pretty country, and you can have a little visit 
with Joe. I think he’ll be glad to see you. I’ve got your clothes 
all ready to put on. We’ll have to take the stage this morning 
and we’ve got no time to lose getting ready.” 

I was of the impression from the way she spoke that this was 
going to be Laura’s first journey in Sonoma County. As though 
conforming to some pre-arranged plan, the valise was packed 
ready to start before I was notified to change my clothes. She 
hurried me to dress—hurried me away without the least chance 
to say good-bye to any person I knew. We stepped into the stage 



> > 
) > > 


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LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


at Napa bound for Sonoma, Sonoma County, arriving there at 
noon, 'where the stage stopped. 

“It will be an hour before the next stage will leave here for 
Santa Rosa,” said Laura, “and it will be too tiresome to wait for 
it here at the station, so we will take a short walk around the 
corner. ” 

She led the way to a one-story cottage, having a porch at the 
front and one side, a short distance from the stage station, where 
a large fleshy woman was comfortably seated in a rocking chair 
at the farthest end of the side porch. Laura opened the gate, we 
stepped into the yard, abruptly turning to me she said: 

“You wait here by the gate a few minutes till I make some 
inquiries about the place of the woman on the porch.” 

It seemed to me that Laura was no less than fifteen minutes 
interviewing her, which was out of my hearing distance to distin¬ 
guish anything said. Returning to the gate, Laura ordered: 

“Nellie, I’m going to take a little walk to see what the place 
looks like. The valise is too heavy to carry around ; so you stay here 
at the gate and take care of it till I come back. I won’t be gone 
long, and will be there in time to take the stage to Santa Rosa. The 
Woman at the end of the porch kept her seat, without the good¬ 
ness to shout: Take a seat on the porch steps! I stood at the 
gate until Laura’s return, that gave us no more than time to be 
seated in the 1 o’clock stage for Santa Rosa. 

It was a pretty country, and I enjoyed the scenery and stage 
ride the entire distance from Napa City to Santa Rosa, and Laura 
was not cross to me during this journey. The sun was sinking 
behind the distant hills when the stage drove up to the Caldwell 
residence, then in the business portion of the town of Santa Rosa. 
The Caldwells gave us a friendly and welcome greeting, all 
acting as though they w^ere pleased to have us visit with them. 
This Caldwell family resided for a time in a house next to our 
old house by the Napa river, after the year of 1868. Mr. Caldwell 
was a dentist in Santa Rosa and it was not usual for him to be 
home excepting nights and Sundays. Most every afternoon of 
this visit, Mrs. Caldwell escorted us to some place of interest in 
the town. A drive to the ocean beach was proposed for Sunday, 
when Mr. Caldwell could accompany us, that was twenty-one 
miles, they said, from Santa Rosa. 



t 

< O 


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101 


Early Sunday morning, there stopped in front of the Cald¬ 
well residence, a three-seated four-horse carriage, containing two 
men unknown to me. The family and Laura went out on the 
sidewalk to make their acquaintance or to exchange greetings 
with them. I neither accompanied them to the sidewalk, nor was 
introduced to the men. From the fact that I was no more than 
eleven and a half years old then, and small for my age, I did 
not think strange of the incident at the time; for these men as I 
remember them, must have seen their fortieth summer. When 
Laura came and notified me that the same team was waiting to 
take us to the beach, for which we were all in readiness, we were 
away at the break of day. When out of the town of Santa Rosa, 
while traveling over a flat country, alternately through oak groves 
and the open, the sun arose to a mild and pleasant day. The 
fragrant morning air, the pleasant ride, the sight of the country, 
the pleasant oak groves, the expectation of beholding the great 
Pacific ocean, gave me thrills of joy, with no thought that I 
would sometime write any kind of an account of this day s scenery 
and doings for publication. Our route next led us several miles 
over a sand flat that was interspersed with patches of small forest 
tress and under verdure; we now wound around hills, down and 
up, until we emerged from this zone tp the top of a vast 
country where we looked over rolling hills that were barren of 
trees and shrubbery to our view; now the roar of the ocean 
sounded to our ears, louder and louder as we traveled over the 
tops of hills to the long coast road. After some miles on the 
Coast road, we came to a place where the ocean presented a 
wonderful and magnificent sight to behold. Five miles or more, 
out in the ocean was a mountain range of rocks, over which the 
great waters poured, reflecting colors of green, purple and blue, 
mingled with white spray, from which white-capped breakers 
rushed to shore like they were running races, accompanied with 
the noise that made old Ocean grand to listen to. The Coast line 
here is rock, the shore zigzag, that is, I think, near the height of 
three hundred feet from the beach below and perpendicular from 
where we viewed it, with but one exception. Our can iage 
stopped at the termination of a narrow strip of inlet beach, at an 
edge of the road, where stood a wayside house, that was the only 

house I could see in all this wild, weird region, or had seen, that 

(4) 


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LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


I remember, since we lost sight of Santa Rosa. A man standing 
at a bar, was the only person aside from our party, I saw here. 
Our party consisted of the two men who brought the carriage to 
the Caldwell residence, unknown to me; Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell, 
their three boys, Joseph, Charles and George; Laura and myself. 

Leaving the carriage and horses at the wayside house, we all 
descended a narrow path on the side of a sand hill near by, to 
the narrow strip of inlet beach below; over which we walked 
near a mile in distance to a log on the main beach, that was a 
short distance from the waves. Here we sat on the clean, white 
sand to rest a few minutes, when it was proposed and agreed 
upon to use the log for a table. A fire was built, over which hot 
coffee was prepared; a white table cloth graced the log, on which 
was spread a nice lunch that had been prepared the day before this 
occasion. To dine from a log, to drink coffee made over a fire 
built on the sand in so wild and weird a place as this, was a great 
treat and a novelty. 

The sand beach along the shore was nearly level, but varied 
in width, on account of the zigzag coast. It was not a wide beach 
from the projecting cliffs to the edge of a declining bank line, where 
the waves receded into deep water. The eldest and nearest my age 
of the Caldwell boys, was Joseph. Immediately after luncheon 
we hastened to this bank to study the waves, when we discovered 
that every third one was farther reaching and more uncertain as to 
just how far it would extend, than the two preceding. The tide 
was coming in, and we had only been there a short time when 
Laura called and beckoned us to the log, where all the others 
were seated in a group. Leaving them, she met us half way, tohl 
Joseph his mother wanted him, asking my company to gathe* 
shells and some star-fish from a group of rocks projecting from 
a foundation of rocks beneath, that were from two to three hun¬ 
dred feet from where we then stood. Of course I went, Mad as 
usual to explore, unsuspicious of Laura. We entered among the 
rocks where we were hid from view of the rest of the party, I then 
being too absorbed with the curios on them, consisting of shell¬ 
fish and some scattering star-fish, to observe much else. The roar 
of the breakers here was too loud to carry on a conversation and 
let it be remembered, the tide was coming in. Laura shouted: 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


103 


“I think we can find better star-fish and more of them, further 
out. Don’t you want to try it?” 

Nodding my head, I shouted: “Yes, where at?” 

She pointed to a rock that was about thirty feet from us, 
whose front facing the ocean, was on a line of the beach bank, 
where the waves were furious and the water deep, not yet having 
risen to the foundation of the rocks. Beckoning me to follow, 
she hastened to the rock located, without looking back. When I 
consented to go with her, I had no idea of her asking me to go 
to such a place as she had located, and taking a second considera¬ 
tion, I remained where I stood. Near the back of the same rock, 
towards the shore, was a short, narrow ridge having a gradual 
rise that joined the rock, over which was a little pile of sand, 
only large enough for one person to stand on. From this slight 
eminence, the foundation by this rock was on an incline to deep 
water at its front, without any covering of sand, and therefore 
slippery. Laura stepped onto the slight eminence described, as 
soon as she came to the rock, and had no more than faced about 
balancing herself and was giving me a look of surprise seeing that 
I was not with her, when the artillery-like report of a mighty 
wave that had struck the front of the rock where she was standing, 
came to my ears, and the view of the spray high in the air that flew 
over the top of it giving Laura a genuine, ocean spray bath—the 
wave surrounding the rock and rising until it covered the bottom 
of her dress. I reasoned, that Laura was a large, heavy person, 
occupying the highest place, the only place where there was any 
probability that a person could stand near the rock on account 
of the pile of sand that prevented her from slipping; the only 
place near the rock that was not on an incline to the front; also, 
it was the place where the wave had the least power when it came 
up and receded. Had I gone with her, I would have been at a 
lower place, would have slipped on the rock in the right time 
towards the incline at the front, for the wave to draw me out in 
the roaring breakers where there could be no rescue by human 
power. Yes, it was clear to my eyes and reasoning that this was 
a death-trap, yet the question came to my mind: Could Laura 
be such a fiend as to premeditate and plan my murder in this way? 
She had struggled hard to rescue me from Dave, whose inten¬ 
tion was to murder me, and now after this, what cause had I 


104 


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given her, or what object would she have to intentionally plan 
my murder by such an awful death-trap as this? If she did, who 
could prove it? We were hid from view, I had no witness. She 
could say it was an accident, lo accuse her of it, if she was 
guilty, would be folly and make matters worse for me, where I 
saw no chance to win out; so I gave her the benefit of the doubt. 

To put the question of the death-trap in a milder form, 1 
reasoned: Laura was certainly too amazingly thoughtless and 
careless a one to be trusted any longer in so dangerous a place. 
When the wave began to recede from the rock where she stood, 

I beckoned for her to come away, in a frantic manner. This she 
immediately did, coming towards me. When I saw her in a safe 
place, I disappeared from her sight behind the rocks, losing no 
unnecessary time getting to a safe distance from her reach, where 
I was in full view of the rest of the party, who were seated in a 
group by the log as we had left them. I now took my time gath¬ 
ering a few shells that I could find along the beach until within 
a short distance from the log, where I waited for Laura. She 
did not remain long among the rocks, soon overtaking me, bring¬ 
ing shells and star-fish in a cloth. I listened in silence as she 
related to the party, her adventure and escape from the wave, 
making no mention or allusion whatever to my escape or that she 
had invited me to the rock with her—that is, not in my presence. 
We never did mention the affair to each other. 

The two men unknown to men of our party, had not thus far 
spoken to me. One of them, the driver, never did. Mr. Caldwell 
shared the seat with him to and from the beach. Their conver¬ 
sation I did not hear; neither could I observe the driver’s face 
from where I sat, during the journey. The other unknown-to-me 
appeared decidedly glum during the drive to the beach, and both 
of these men kept apart from me during our entire trip to the 
beach, so that I had no chance to learn their names, who they were, 
or where they came from. The day, the country scenery, the 
pleasant woods on our return from the beach, were all so nice, 
that I wondered why the glum man and our party in general did 
not have faces more cheerful? We were near the town of Santa 
Rosa, when the glum man fairly astonished me by asking if there 
wasn’t some one present who could sing? To this inquiry the 
Caldwells answered: 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


105 


“Nellie can sing, she is the only one in the crowd who can 

• >> 
sing. 

The glum one then politely requested me to sing them a 
song; and he, with the requests of the Caldwells continued, until 
I sang them several songs. The glum man’s face took on a better 
expression, and when we stopped in front of the Caldwell home in 
Santa Rosa, the sun was setting on a day that had been an ex¬ 
treme pleasure to me with one exception—the awful death-trap. 
Remaining in the carriage as they came, immediately the two men 
unknown to me drove away as we vacated. This was my last to 
see or hear of them, that I was aware of. 

The morning following, after an invitation to revisit with 
them, Laura and I exchanged good-byes with the Caldwells and 
departed on our journey to Napa City, Napa County, for home. 
Laura was not cross, having little to say; the country scenery, 
the weather and the stage ride were all very agreeable to me 
during our return trip from Santa Rosa to Napa, where we arrived 
safely without any suspicious behavior from Laura. 

SKETCH 27. 

SOME ACCOUNTS OF THE FOUR ALLEGED MANUEL 
FAMILIES AND HOW THEY TREATED ME. 

Lucy, the wife of the alleged G. W. Manuel, was a white 
woman, and I heard remarks during the ’70’s to the effect, that 
she was a nicer looking woman than average. She was a good 
cook and a neat house-keeper, a natural, devoted mother to her 
children, May and Walter (called Wallie), endeavoring to make 
all out of them that her efforts and money could do, acting as 
though I had no right to live. The alleged George W. Manuel, 
her husband and father of her children, resembled the dark race 
of Mexicans, who I was later told by school girls, was known as 
a Mexican in Napa City; that his children were known as half- 
breed Mexicans. This family from the first to the last that I knew 
them, lived in nice homes—houses nice and comfortable; they 
wore'good clothes and had plenty of them; they lived in luxury, 
the best the market afforded. Some girls, myself included, would 
have considered it a great treat to have had luxuries like we saw 
May throw away, when she carried her lunches to the public school. 


106 LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 

The only times I remember of seeing May share or offer to share 
any of her eatables with others, was when she was ordered to 
do so by her mother or father, though May told me a number of 
times that she liked me better than any girl she knew. 

When Laura and I resided with this family during the last of 
1867 and the first of 1868, I learned what it was to feel hungry 
for something to eat. Both May and Wallie were growing rapid¬ 
ly, were larger than average children of their ages, craving an 
extra amount of food. It was customary for their mother to save 
any article of food that her children had a craving for left over 
from meals and serve it to them for between 'meal lunches in the 
forenoons and afternoons, in which I was not invited to share 
The only time I was fed, was at meal time, generally on whatever 
might be left on the table after the others had finished their 
meals; of these remnants I was scantily fed; yet they were very 
particular that I should address them as uncle George, aunt Lucy, 
to say their children were my cousins. 

It was usual for Lucy, when going to the business portion of 
town, to bring home with her candy for May and Wallie, that 
she gave them when Laura and I were present, without so much 
as offering me a taste—Laura looking pleased; neither did either 
May or Wallie say, Nellie, won’t you have a little of my candy? 
I neither asked for any of their candy nor complained .at this 
time because I was hungry and wronged. They were so unfeeling 
towards me that I was afraid of them. I recall to memory inci¬ 
dents of hearing Wallie’s fog--horn-like voice wailing for some¬ 
thing to eat before he was out of bed in the morning, when his 
indulgent mother hastened to his bedside with words of consola¬ 
tion and promises of food. When she appeared through the 
door-way of the dining room her darling was in her arms, the tears 
streaming down his cheeks; she placed him in his high-chair, 
rushed to the pantry, quickly returning with some good-sized 
article that she placed in his hands; though this did not stop his 
voice and flow of tears until he had consumed several mouthfuls 
and could realize that he was eating. When his appetite was ap¬ 
peased, Lucy washed him. combed his hair, dressed him in clean 
garments fresh from the wash; then Wallie was ready for an ex¬ 
cellent breakfast—for Lucy’s children had the best of care. Though 
Lucy herself was industrious, would wash, sew and do all kinds 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


107 


of work required of a house keeper when necessary, neither of her 
children were like her in these particudars—they were the reverse. 
If May did any housework or sewing when I knew her, I nevei 
saw or heard of it. Years later I heard her mother say that she 
was too sloven and indolent to hang up her clothes. 

Prior to the year of 1870, after our return to the old house by 
the Napa river, I sometimes accompanied Laura to the home of 
G. W. Manuel and family, for a short call or visit. On these and 
other occasions when I was present or in hearing distance, it was 
a habit of G. W. Manuel, Laura and Lucy, to tell about their 
large sizes, prominent noses, large feet and hands, saying they 
were marks of beauty, intellect and character. At this time Laura 
and my eldest said brother George S. taught me that people born 
in the State of California were called tar heads. May was a tar 
head, they said, because she was born in California. George S. 
was a sucker, he said, because his birth place was in the State of 
Illinois. They said that I was a Missouri puke, because my birth 
place was in the State of Missouri. They taught May the same 
in regards to Missouri and Illinois. May was the first to tell 
me that I was a Missouri puke, which caused Lucy and George 
W. to smile and look pleased; this she did on several occasions, 
after which Laura and George taught me to retaliate, by telling 
her that she was a tar head. May’s skin was dark, her eyes and 
hair as black as tar, like her father's; Lucy being the only white 
person among the four of the family. When I addressed May as 
tar head, Lucy scolded me, and May asked me why I called her a 
tar head? 

‘‘Because Laura and George says people boin in Califoinia 
are tar heads,” I replied. “Why do you call me a Missouri puke?” 

“Because aunt Laura and Cousin George said you was a Mis¬ 
souri puke, because you was born in Missouri, said Ma\. 

May and I were peacefully disposed towards each other, so 
we compromised by agreeing to leave off the tar head and Mis¬ 
souri puke expressions and to speak to each other as May and 
Nellie, thus ending a little quarrel that we children were not re¬ 
sponsible for. Let it be remembered that I am relating a true 
narrative of mystery and conspiracy, that items like these are 
links in my case. Such incidents as these, put me wise to the fact 
that Lucy was sensitive and resentful at any mention or allusion 


108 LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 

to the members of her family having dark skins, and I was not 
again guilty of the indiscretion of hinting or calling any person’s 
attention to the fact until I made a real determined effort to learn 
more about them, that was not less than fifteen years later. 

As I grew older, my alleged relatives, the alleged Manuels, 
were more cautious about concealing their Court and property 
affairs from me. Twice, I remember, May and Wallie staid with 
us at the old house a week or more at a time at intervals apart, 
when both they and Laura told me that George W. and Lucy 
were out of town on business. This was the extent of their in¬ 
formation. 

I was not invited to the home of my alleged relatives the 
alleged Manuels, on Grant Avenue, Napa City, after the year of 
1869, by either Lucy, May or Walter, for which no explanation 
was given me by them. Laura told me in strong language: “To 
keep out of their house and yard.” For more than four years I 
was excluded from their premises while they were residents of 
Napa City, according to all accounts given me. During all this 
time it appeared, or was made to appear, to me by Laura, that 
she was a welcome guest at their home continuously, where she* 
visited and called to partake of their excellent meals and pleasures. 
Her Christmas days of 1870—1873 were spent away from home, 
durng which she gave me no present. On these Christmas mornings 
she dressed in her best, in a stern voice that was anything but 
musical, she gave her parting salute in language to the effect: 

“Nellie, I’m going to spend the day with my sister Lucy and 
family, and you must stay here and take care of things till I come 
back. I’ll be home by sundown. Be sure you don’t go out of 
the yard while I’m gone.” 

With no more to eat than bread, butter and fruit that grew on 
the place, I spent these Christmas days in solitude at the old 
house. When Laura came home at sundown on these occasions, 
she related to me with enthusiasm the enjoyable day, the delicious 
dinner and luxuries she enjoyed with the alleged G. W. Manuel 
and family, who sent me no greeting, no little token of remem¬ 
brance—not so much as a handful of nuts, a piece of candy, a 
piece of turkey or anything to let me know that they thought of 
me, who were my elleged relatives, at which Laura appeared to be 
pleased. Louis and Augustus were then with their father, the 



LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


109 


alleged David Manuel. George S., my eldest said brother, who 
was employed in the drug store of Dr. Pond, did not put in any 
appearance at home through these Christmas days, and it was 
very unusual for him to come home when Laura was absent. 
However, I think it would be quite safe to conclude that he ate 
his Christmas dinners at the home of his said relatives, the G. W. 
Manuel and family, where he always represented to me that he 
was a welcome guest. 

To show the fraud, conspiracy and crime of my alleged rela¬ 
tives, the ‘‘four” said and alleged Manuel brothers and families, 
it is necessary that I give some correct accounts of their form, 
sizes and what they were in the line of music. Harrison and Hi¬ 
ram Manuel, two of the “four” said Manuel brothers, I never saw, 
that I know of; I therefore cannot describe them. The said Hiram 
Manuel’s children I never saw, that I know of. The said Harrison 
Manuel was said to be unmarried when he fled from the officers 
in 1867, for the murder committed in his brother Dave’s black¬ 
smith shop. 

The alleged George W. Manuel (one of the four), and his 
wife Lucy, were both tall and large-framed. Their two children 
May and Walter, were also tall and larg'e when grown. Not one 
of these four had hands or feet that were the least small for their 
sizes, and Walter, when I last saw him near the age of 21, was 
so thin and tall that his clothes hung loosely on him, like his 
father, when I first knew him in Napa City. His hands were ex¬ 
traordinarily large for his size. Both Walter and May were 
brought up in ease and luxury. They were both indolent and 
selfish to the extreme, as I knew them. In regards to their im¬ 
plication in crime, my accounts and evidence when all read in 
this book, will give some idea as to what they were. 

Dave, Laura’s husband, one of the “four” alleged Manuel 
brothers, of California, who appeared to my sight after other men 
by the surname of Manuel had disappeared from my sight, could 
neither sing a tune nor play any instrument of music; these facts 
were thoroughly impressed in my memory from a little scene 
between this same man and Laura, that took place prior to the 
year of 1866, when I was the only child with them, in the old 
house by the Napa river; that was the same house where I missed 
and lost My Mother and found the picture of a missing David 


110 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


Maunel, whom T had known prior to when I knew them, who was 
a white man, not a pockmarked, full-blooded Mexican, as the 
alleged David Manuel, one of the “four,” who was on the records 
of Napa County to be brother to George W. Manuel, there also 
known as a Mexican. Both of their faces were too dark to be 
reckoned as persons of the Caucasian race. 

When Laura repeatedly asked Dave to sing the song with 
her entitled, "Down on the Ohio,” prior to the year of 1866, be¬ 
cause of his non-musical ability he got angry, said he had no 
music in him or could sing. His effort was evidence enough to 
me of the truth of this assertion. Although Laura could sing 
some ordinary tunes then, he condemned her voice in language 
that would not sound decent in a “Police Gazette.” She never did 
again that I know of, attempt to sing in his presence. Their 
children, Louis and Augustus, were decidedly non-musical; so 
also was George S., their eldest said son. Had they any inclina¬ 
tion to learn instrumental music, Laura would not have hindered 
them, for could they display any musical gifts or ability, it would 
aid them, as it will appear later, to carry out their plot and con¬ 
spiracy of deception to baffle and to cover murders. These 
alleged Manuel families of the “four,” also represented them¬ 
selves and were represented by newspaper accounts, as peisons 
possessing mechanical genius and ability; their object for so 
doing, will appear obvious, further on, Lain a, it appears, was 
impressed with the idea, that I had forgotten most of my obser¬ 
vations and experience with them when I first knew them, when 
I was only a child with them, when her endeavor was to confuse 
and deceive me, by representing to me later: That her husband, 
“Dave Manuel,” (who was no other than the alleged David Man¬ 
uel, one of the four),—to use her expressions, “made fiddles 
and played fiddles to keep them from straving” while in the 
State of Missouri, in the year of 1861. 

It was plain to be seen by observers who could observe, that 
G. W. Manuel, his family, his brother David and former wife, 
Laura, and their children, and any of their said relatives whom 
I knew, did not look like they were related to me by any near 
generation. I had features, form and characteristics unlike the 
average, and decidedly the reverse of theirs, that were strongly 
indicative that I was one of some family other than theirs. These 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


Ill 


facts were observed by people who knew us by sight; they com¬ 
mented on it and asked questions that annoyed and worried my 
alleged relatives—to what extent I never knew. Little school 
girls observed and spoke of it, and it was a rare case that I was 
seen in company of any of my said brothers, George S., Louis and 
Augustus, above the block where we resided, where residents of 
the town or strangers could observe us together, after the year of 
1869. Neither G. W. Manuel nor any of his family ever gave me 
as much as a dollar or a present, that I know of. 

It was also observed and commented on to my knowledge, by 
some who had a chance to take notice, that my alleged Manuel 
relatives neither treated me like a relative nor friend. As to the 
alleged David Manuel (one of the four) being my father, it 
was the general impression of those who knew us, who had no 
interest in the conspiracy, that the alleged David Manuel was not 
my father, nor one of my said relatives that were known in Napa 
City of the four alleged Manuel brothers, their relatives or re¬ 
latives by marriage, were related to me by any near generation, 

Lucy, the sister of Laura and said Isaac Griswold, and the wife 
of the alleged G. W. Manuel (one of the four), had expressive 
eyes and was one who could put on agreeable manners when 
pleased, or when to her interest to appear agreeable. Nevertheless, 
she formed the habit of drawing down the corners of her mouth 
and giving haughty and contemptuous looks, which left noticeable 
traces as she advanced in years. I doubt if her acquaintances who 
were not connected with the gang, would think her to be crimi¬ 
nally disposed; yet, her neglect, selfishness and accusations of 
me from when I first knew her developed into cruelty of heart 
towards me, without any reasonable cause as far as my personal 
remarks and behavior towards her could be taken into con¬ 
sideration. This, I can say truthfully, was not the real cause, and 
I treated all of this gang that I knew better than they treated me. 
After I had been entirely excluded from their home in Napa, 
Lucy continued her calls to have private interview with Laura at 
the old house as long as they were said to be residents of Napa 
City; which were sometimes regular and near together; at other 
times from weeks to months apart so far as I knew. On these 
occasions when Lucy took me unawares and entered the front 
room before I had a chance to vacate without her knowledge of 


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my presence, I had been in the practice of exchanging a few words 
of friendly greeting with her, endeavoring to keep down dis¬ 
agreeable feelings so far as possible, after which I withdrew 
before their interviews began; until one day it so happened that 
I withdrew to the kitchen, where I lingered a few minutes, leaving 
the doors open, when Lucy opened their interview by a vigorous 
disapproval and denunciation of small people with exceptionally 
small hands and feet, to the effect that such persons were small, 
shallow-brained and good-for-nothing in general; whereas large 
people with good-sized hands and feet were very apt to be in¬ 
telligent, useful and ornamental, dwelling on the superiority of 
large people. Some of her unmerited imputations had such a 
personal sound that my temper was aroused to some considerable 
extent; for I was a small one with exceptionally small feet and 
hands for one of my size; yet I had not been guilty thus far of 
criticising the hands, feet, size or intellect of my said relatives, 
and valued peace and safety too much to premeditatively aggravate 
them. I was being convinced more and more as time went on that 
one of my position in life needed caution, prudence, self-control, 
knowledge and a discreet tongue. I therefore hastily withdrew 
from the house and out of hearing distance when I heard these 
scathing remarks of Lucy, fearing the consequence of remaining 
longer. When I beheld Lucy’s important physical going through 
our front gateway for home, I had a little interview with Laura 
on the same subject, that was in brief to the effect. 

“Laura,” I said, “I do not pretend to be smart, or to know 
much • but what have I done or said to cause Aunt Lucy to make 

* 0 

such hateful remarks?” 

Laura replied: “Well, you are too sensitive. I don’t think 
Lucy thought of you when she said it. She often says things 
without thinking how it sounds. And to avoid all mistakes, you 
can stay in the yard where you can’t hear what we say, after 
this when she calls, then you won’t hear anything to worry you.” 

After this I neither met Lucy nor spoke to her if I could 
avoid it. I had reasons to think that Lucy was doing her utmost 
secretly to turn Laura against me; that she had been the cause of 
Laura’s giving me strict orders at intervals to remain within the 
yard from a day to a week at a time; the reson for which, was 
never explained to me. I had noticed also, that after Laura had 


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been in Lucy’s company, that she was crosser to me than usual 
and sometimes appeared apprehensive and worried. When Lucy 
found that I avoided meeting or speaking to her, she became ag¬ 
gressive, and one summer day when the corn in our back yard 
was tall, I caught a glimpse of her coming through the front yard 
and immediately hied me to the corn patch where I was con¬ 
cealed from view. In a few minutes I was staartled by hearing 
Laura’s voice calling out: 

“Nellie! Nellie! Why don’t you answer me? Come right 
here—Lucy wants to see you!” 

To refuse to meet her, might arouse suspicions and make af¬ 
fairs worse for me, I reasoned—for criminals are very suspicious— 
I had found them to be so. Gathering what courage I could for 
one of my size and chances to meet the demands, I went to the 
sitting room and met the woman I was taught to address Aunt 
Lucy. The haughty, contemptuous expression on her face was 
not good to look at, though her complaint proved to be a simple 
one, to the effect: 

“Nellie,” said Lucy, “You have been making mean remarks 
about me to injure my good name; your purpose being, I suppose, 
to build up your own by tearing mine down.” 

“I don’t understand you, Aunt Lucy,” said I. “How could I 
either build or tear down your good name? You are the first 
to mention it to me. It is so seldom I see you and I hear so 
little about you that I don’t think to mention your name until 
someone first mentions you to me, and then how would I know 
about what you are doing to tell, when I never go to your house 
and don’t talk to your friends outside of the family that I know 
of. If you want me to help you- out in any way, it will be 

necessary to explain your meaning.” 

“I don’t want any of your help! I want you to stop making 
funny remarks about me for people to laugh at!” she indig¬ 
nantly exclaimed. “If you were smart, or had good sense, you 
would feel proud of an aunt like me, who has influence and 
standing with the influential people of the town. To injure 
your aunt, is to injure yourself, if you had sense enough to see 

• i 

it. 

I responded to the effect: “Aunt Lucy, I live in obscurity, 
have few acquaintances and know no person who I have any 


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positive certainty is a true friend to me; if I said anything against 
you I would expect that they would report to you all I had said 
and more too; you have wealth, so many influential acquaintances, 
are large, intelligent and admired because of the fine appear¬ 
ance you make, while I am small, without influence; you say 
yourself that I am not smart. In view of all this, it seems queer 
to me that one like me could say anything to injure you seriously 
or tear down your good name. Now that you have accused me, 
Aunt Lucy, it seems to me that it would be no more than right 
for you to tell me who it is that has been trying to make trouble 
for me, by giving you false reports.” 

The haughty, contemptuous expression had left Lucy’s face, 
though she sat silent, meditative and gave no response, as though 
at a loss what to say. Laura looked thoughtful and announced: 

“Lucy, I don’t think Nellie’s been saying anything. There’s 
so many mischief-making people in town that talk about every¬ 
body they know, that probably if you knew the truth, it’s some 
stuff they’ve made up themselves. I don’t see what Nellie would 
know against you to tell.” 

Then turning to me she ordered: “Nellie, I want you to be 
careful to never say nothing to injure Lucy. She’s my sister, and 
I’d rather anybody’d injure me, than her.” 

They then permitted my exit from their presence, and a few 
minutes later I saw Lucy departing from the premises. Then I 
tried to persuade Laura to tell me the real cause of Lucy’s anger. 

“The only reason I can think of,” she said, “is that Lucy is 
disappointed and touchy because May can’t learn to sing and 
can’t learn to dance. They’ve spent so much money trying to 
prepare her for aristocratic society. It annoys Lucy, too, because 
May looks like an Indian. That’s all the reason I know of for 
Lucy’s being so touchy.” 

If any member of the Ritchie family ever exchanged calls 
or visits with the G. W. Manuel family, whose residences were on 
the same street with one block between, they kept it strictly a 
secret from my knowledge; yet they had not hitherto questioned 
me about them more than to inquire privately, why I never went 
to their home? 

After the year of 1869, Emma Ritchie, May Manuel and I 
attended the same Napa public school several terms in succes- 


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115 


sion where were white children and a mixed multitude of races. 
May’s kind were there, some of whom were her superiors in most 
every particular; nevertheless, May disdained them, seeking the 
company of white girls altogether while at school. To make 
any allusion or insinuation as to May’s color, was an open chal¬ 
lenge for trouble, and she was not overly burdened with com¬ 
panions at school. All had gone quite smoothly with May and 1 
at the public school and with May and Emma Ritchie, so far as 
I was aware, until the Ritchies learned how Lucy had dealt with 
me in regards to the tatting I made for her, when they appar¬ 
ently took a dislike to her. It so happened one day while coming 
home from school that Emma and I overtook May and another 
girl on Grant Avenue near her home, on the opposite side of the 
street, when Emma in merriment, I supposed, said to my said 
cousin, the said May Manuel: 

“When May Manuel comes to school in the morning, she 
looks like she had just stepped out of a band-box; but when she 
goes home from school, she looks like she had just crawled out 
of a hog pen. For goodness sakes! May, how do you manage 

to get your clothes so dirty?” 

“All 'of us, including May herself, laughed at Emma’s re¬ 
marks, and May, looking down at her stockings that were clean 
and white in the morning and now very much the shade of th~ 

dust on the street, said, laughingly: 

“They don’t look very clean, do they? But Til soon be 

home, where I can get some clean ones. 

When we arrived at May’s gate, she did not appear to be 
the least offended at Emma’s remarks and exchanged good-byes 
with us, apparently in the best of humor. I had only arrived at 
home a few minutes when I caught a glimpse of Lucy s important 
physical, opening our front gate, when quickly and quietly I 
hied me to the corn patch in our back yard, the peaceful ait 
around me was soon disturbed by the unmellodious, jarring voice 
of Laura calling out: 

“Nellie! Come right here this minute, Nellie! Lucy’s here 
and wants to talk to you!” 

Bracing myself up to meet the demand. I accordingly stepped 
into the sitting room where Lucy’s important personage awaited 
me, whose face I saw at a glance wore the haughty, contemptuous 


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expression that was so usual whenever I saw her of late, that 
told me too plainly, trouble is in the house. She gasped out. 

“Sit down here by me, Nellie, and tell me what you mean 

by making hateful and insulting remarks to May ?” 

“You are the first to accuse me of it, Aunt Lucy,” said I, 

taking a seat close to an outside door that was open. 

“Sit here,” she said, pointing to a chair next to her. 

“I can hear just as well here, Aunt Lucy,” said I. Please be so 
good as to tell me about the insulting remarks, you say I am 
guilty of. I don’t believe May told you I made insultig remarks 
to her, and think we would always be good friends, if you allow 

us to be.” 

Lucy accused me of what Emma Ritchie had said to Ma) 
in the foregoing, adding to it many other glaring and false 
accusations of my improper conduct on the street at the same 
time, at the denial of which she warmed up and got ready. Then 
came the angry denounciations from her mouth like a volley, 
the most of which were the grossest kind of insults to Laura, had 
she been my natural mother or any true friend to me. But Laura 
sat quietly listening to it all with no look of disapproval or 
word of remonstrance in my defense. Fearing what the outcome 
might be, I suddenly took flight through the open doorway before 
either of them were aware. They called earnestly and anxiously, 
“Nellie, come back here!” I neither looked back nor ceased 
running until I had reached the Ritchie residence, wdiere I ex¬ 
plained matters to Mrs. Ritchie and Emma, who promised to 
intercede for me in my difficulty. We waited until we saw 
Lucy pass the house on her way home, then Emma said: 

“Ell go home with you, Nell, and explain it all out to your 

mother.” 

“And I will follow close behind you,” said Mrs. Ritchie. 

When Emma and I met Laura, Emma abruptly greeted her 

with inquiry: 

“Say, Mrs. Manuel, what is the matter with Lucy Manuel? 
It wouldn’t take much for me to punch her in the jaw! She 
needn’t think she can go around slurring me over somebody else’s 
back. If she’s anxious to fight, I’ll go her!” 

Laura responded: “Well—Lucy’s so touchy over her child- 
ren _ s ] ie makes a fool of herself sometimes before she realizes 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


117 


how ridiculous she acts and talks. She don’t stop to think what 
she’s going to say, or how it will sound. Lucy is goodhearted 
and means well, but she’s too sensitive about her children, for her 
own good.” 

Then came Emma’s response to the sum and effect: ‘Til 
settle with May Manuel for her lies and treachery when I meet 
her to school tomorrow, and if her mother opens her mouth to 
me about it, I’ll give her as good as she sends. I’ll not back down 
for a girl like May, or her mother either. They needn’t think 
their money will allow them to impose on everybody—I’ll promise 
you.” 

Then Mrs. Ritchie came and said: “Emma, you and Nellie 
go out into the yard, while Mrs. Manuel and I have a talk by 
ourselves.” 

It was near the space of half an hour when Mrs. Ritchie 
called us. 

“I have decided to keep Emma out of school a few days,” she 
said, “she is liable to give May Manuel a thrashing, and there is 
no telling what the outcome might be. We cannot afford to pay 
fines, or run the risk of being sued for damages. Mrs. Manuei 
has agreed to keep Nellie from school until you and her go 

together.” 

When Mrs. Ritchie and Emma had taken their departure, 
Laura did not scold me for running away from home, as I ex¬ 
pected she would and did not so much as mention the affair of 
Lucy and I; though I was never told what any of the conversation 
between Mrs. Ritchie and Laura was about on this occasion, any 
more than could be inferred from the foregoing. The day after 
Emma and I met secretly, when some of our conversation was in 

language to the effect: 

“Nellie,” said Emma, “how would you like to go to school 
to ‘The Napa Young Ladies’ Seminary ?’ ” 

“Oh. I wouldn’t think of it!” said I. “It would cost too much. 
Laura would neither pay my tuition there nor furnish me the 
proper kind of clothes to wear there—she could not afford it.” 

“Would you like to go there to school?” Emma inquired. 

“Why of course I would like to have better chances than I 
have, but what is the use of talking about it? Laura would not 


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give her consent, if the whole cost was only twenty-five cents 
more—she couldn’t afford it,” I said. 

‘Til tell you right now, Nellie, your mother can afford it,” 
said Emma. “I’ve noticed and so have others, that when your 
mother wants anything for herself and boys, she affords it. She 
is not so hard up for money as she pretends to be—I’ve found 
that out. She is not doing right by you; but for goodness sakes, 
Nell, don’t let her know, or even think, that I told you. You might 
get Mother and I both into trouble.” 

We met Mrs. Ritchie and went with her to the old house, 
where Emma said to Laura in our presence: “Say, Mrs. Manuel, 
my brother Jim is going to pay my tuition to the ‘Seminary.’ I 
would like to have Nellie go with me. Jim says he is afraid we 
will all get into serious trouble if Nellie and I go to the public 
school any more, on account of May Manuel.” 

“I can’t afford it now,” said Laura. “Nellie will need better 
clothes if I send her there, and I don’t see how I am going to get 
the money now to buy them, besides the tuition.” 

“Oh yes, Mrs. Manuel, do let her go. Mother and I will help 
you get her clothes ready—you can sell some of the fruit on your 
place. The tuition is only four dollars a month,” Emma said. 

“Emma, you and Nellie go for a walk, and Mrs. Manuel and I 
will talk the matter over and see what we can do,” said Mrs. 
Ritchie. 

When Emma and I returned from our walk, Laura agreed 
to pay my tuition to the “Seminary,” and the three of them began 
to get my clothes ready, so that in a few days Emma and I 
became students of “The Napa Young Ladies’ Seminary,” that 
was a private school for white girls and young women. 

Lucy was aggressive and wealthy, so that in a few days after 
Emma and I had begun school at the “Seminary,” my alleged 
cousin, May Manuel, followed, and was enrolled as a member of 
the same school. It is a question what the outcome would have 
been, had she been refused admittance there, though her time at 
the “Seminary” was brief. Fortunately for Emma and I, we were 
several grades higher in our classes than May, and the school 
comprised three separate buildings, that were joined by porches; 
so that Emma and I occupied seats in a separate building from 
May, where we had a chance to keep clear of her during school 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


119 


hours, where she could not make up reports about us for her 
persecuting mother. The first day we saw May Manuel at the 
“Seminary,” the same evening Emma accompanied me home where 
she greeted Laura with the inquiry: 

“Say, Mrs. Manuel, why do you suppose Lucy Manuel has 
sent May to the “Seminary” after Nellie and I had quit the 
public school on account of her? Don’t you think she is going it 
rather strong?” 

Laura replied to the effect: “Well—I’ll tell you how it is, 
Emma. George Manuel is more to blame for it than Lucy. He 
said it did not look right for one so poor as I am to send Nellie 
to a private school and for May to continue at a public school 
when he was so much more able to pay May’s tuition at a private 
school than I am. When you come to consider the way people 
mio-ht look at it, I think he is right about sending May to the 

o 7 

‘Seminary.’ ” 

“Well, Mrs. Manuel, I’ll tell you right now. if May Manuel 
thinks she is going to make trouble for Nellie and I at the ‘Semi¬ 
nary,’ I’ll come pretty near beating her to death, regardless of con¬ 
sequences,” angrily responded Emma. 

Laura kept reminding me continuously of the self-denial she 
was making and the liberty and advantages she was giving me by 
paying the extra four dollars a month for my schooling at the 
“Seminary,” besides the few extra clothes it was necessaiy to fur 
nish me to attend that school. One to hear Laura talk to me 
about it, that did not have some true idea of the kind of person 
she ready was, might think her to be the most indulgent and 
self-denying of poor mothers—all for the sake of giving me a 
little extra schooling at the “Seminary.” She talked in this way 
so much to me that I began to feel as though I was causing her 
to suffer, by my attendance at the “Seminary,” and I consulted 
Mrs. Ritchie secretly on the subject. 

“Don’t let her talk worry you,” said Mrs. Ritchie. “She can 
well afford to pay your tuition at the ‘Seminary,’ and do much 
more than she is doing for you now, and be sure you do not 
repeat what I tell you, if you know where you are well off.” 


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VENTURES—MYSTERIOUS DISCOVERIES—REVEALED 

TO MY EARS. 

I had been excluded from the premises of Lucy’s Jaome on 
Grant Avenue, Napa City, when I became alarmed, aggravated and 
worried about the mysterious actions of Laura and Lucy—so much 
so, that I became venturesome; believing my position and circum¬ 
stances justified my finding out what I could about my alleged 
relatives without their knowledge of the fact. It appearing evi¬ 
dent enough to me that my alleged relatives, the alleged Manuels, 
had secrets among them, that they were not only zealously guard¬ 
ing from the knowldge of people in general, but were very anx¬ 
ious to conceal from my knowledge as well; that these secrets 
were a source of trouble and anxiety to them at times, it appeared. 
I had at this early date of my existence, seen and heard enough 
of them, to become convinced that they were treacherous and dan¬ 
gerous people, when their anger or fears were aroused. There¬ 
fore, to be caught or be too strongly suspected of evesdropping to 
any secrets they were anxious to conceal, I believed would be 
equivalent to death sentence to such a party, and it was too ser¬ 
iously evident to my experience and observation with them, that 
I possessed no friend among the grown persons of them. Never¬ 
theless, I had become so much aroused, that three times at inter¬ 
vals apart, I ventured and listened under the old house by the 
Napa river, to some portion of interviews between Laura and 
Lucy; some of which I did not understand and did not remember; 
some items in these conversations did interest me to such 
extent, that they remain vivid in my memory. Of these ex¬ 
pressions I will reveal to readers some brief ancounts, to show 
there was plot and conspiracy among my said Manuel relatives of 
the four, to which it was their design that I should become a 
victim, sooner or later The underneath of this old house by 
the Napa river, from where My Mother had mysteriously disap¬ 
peared years before, was open, and the house stood on posts high 
enough to admit of my walking under it by slightly bending my 
back. During the first of these ventures, was the summer of 1870, 
when the corn was tall in the back yard; a quick and excellent 
retreat to throw off suspicion. Laura and Lucy occupied the sofa 
in a corner of the sitting room, and w r ere the only persons in the 


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121 


house, on these occasions. If either of them moved from the 
sofa, the least sound of their footsteps was perceptible to my ears 
beneath when on the alert, from which I made quiet and rapid 
movements, when heard, to the tall corn and there disappeared 
from view, ere they had time to cross in any direction to look 
under the house to discover my presence there. Laura appeared 
to be more composed and cautious during these consultations, 
exchange of information and opinions, than her sister Lucy, 
speaking in lower voice or whispering most of the time, so that 
I heard the most from Lucy, who imparted to my ears information 
that was startling. I had hitherto been under the impression that 
the fashionable calls Lucy said she had been making on the 
influential and moneyed people of the town, were simply calls to 
be stylish. It was now appearing from what I gathered, that her 
purpose had been more to gain information about people’s private 
histories, than the desire to be fashionable or social. 1 heard Lucy 
say to Laura: 

“Yes, I am being convinced that we are not the only people in 
town who have skeletons in our closets. There are others in this 
town—if we knew the truth—with skeletons in their closets.” 

I gathered from this interview that the four said Manuel 
'brothers and wives of three of them, had known some man, whose 
face mine very much resembled; whose apparition sometimes 
stood by the bed-side of Lucy’s husband (the said and alleged 
G. W. Manuel, one of the four), from which he was frightened 
and horrified; though it did not appear from what I heaid, that 
Lucy herself had yet seen or felt this night visitor. Lucy said to 
Laura in an anxious and excited voice: “Mary, be sure and keep 
Nellie away from our place, and where George will not be liable 
to meet or see her. She looks so much like that man, she reminds 
George of him when he sees her. George usually gets the horrors 
after he sees her and wakes up in the night and tells me he sees the 

man standing by his bed.” 

“Mary,” said Lucy to Laura: “Do you suppose the dead 
ever return? I’ve tried to persuade George that it is only his 
imagination; that the dead cannot return to the living.” 

"Laura replied to Lucy: “You’ve asked me something I don’t 
know, Sylvia. It’s better not to let George think so. We must 
try to persuade him to the contrary. 


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Lucy said to Laura: “I had a hard time of it last night. 
George woke me up in the night, saying: ‘There he is, Lucy! See 
him! There he is!’ I got up and lit the gas. I could see no form 
standing there; but George declared he saw him, and was so 
horror-stricken, that his night clothes were wet with perspiration. 
You must keep Nellie closer to home, Mary, you never can tell 
who might come around and get sight of her and what the con¬ 
sequences might be.” 

It appears evident from the foregoing, that the alleged G. W. 
Manuel, one of the four, was visited by the apparition of some man, 
of whom I had a strong facial resemblance; whose presence fright¬ 
ened and horrified him. It also appears, that Lucy, at some former 
time had been in the habit of addressing Laura by the name of 
Mary; that Laura had, at some former time, been in the habit of 
addressing Lucy by the name of Sylvia. Was Mary Laura’s name? 
was Sylvia Lucy’s name? 

My second venture to listen under the old house to an inter¬ 
view of Laura and Lucy, was during the summer of 1872, when I 
remember of hearing them mention the names of various persons 
and places, most of whom I was not familiar with. The name of 
one, Jeff Chandler, was mentioned; though I did not hear, or do 
not remember, what was said about him. Some of their conversa¬ 
tion was to the sum and effect, that G. W. Manuel had again been 
visited by the apparition of the man. 

Said Lucy to Laura: “Nellie’s face is growing more and more 
to resemble that man’s; her red cheeks makes her resemblance to 
him more noticeable.” 

The name of one Samuel W. Childs was also mentioned in this 
interview, yet I do not remember, or did not hear what was said 
about him. Lucy warned Laura to keep me closer at home, where 
strangers who might come to town, would not see me. 

The third of these interviews I listened to, was after the 
trouble I had with Lucy about what Emma Ritchie said to May, 
when we were on our way home from school; that was during the 
same summer, that proved to be the last outburst of Lucy to me 
while we lived in Napa City. Some of their conversation that in¬ 
terested me on this occasion is also vivid in memory, which was 
to the effect: 


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123 


Said Lucy to Laura: “You’ve allowed Nellie the liberty to 
sing to such an extent, that some people have remarked to me, 
‘What a pretty little singer she is, for one of her age.’ You know, 
Laura, that not one of us are singers, or by nature musical; that 
people notice how different Nellie is from the rest of us. I 
tell you, you must keep her down—knock her down if necessary, 
and give her no chance in anything that is liable to injure us. 
believe she tells things. She is liable to get us into trouble yet, 
if you don’t do different with her.” 

" Said Laura to Lucy: “Lucy, you talk foolish. I can’t keep 
the girl from singing at school. Nellie’s not smart. I m satisfied 
she don’t remember anything to tell—she was so little when we got 
her. If anything has been said, you’ll find it’s from some other 

source.” 

SKETCH 28. 

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS—THE MENTION OF SOME 
PERSONS WPIO HAD SOME PART IN THE MYSTER¬ 
IOUS CHAIN OF EVENTS AND CIRCUMSTAN¬ 
CES—LAURA IS REMARRIED—SOME 
ACCOUNTS OF HER HUSBAND 
AND HIS FAMILY. 

Laura omitted altogether to give me motherly advice and 
instructions that all mothers should give their daughters; this, 
Mrs. Ritchie and Emma supplied to some extent secretly, without 
Laura’s knowledge of the fact; some of which were acknowledge¬ 
ments that they either knew or were convinced that Lama was 
not my mother; observed and suspected her subtile treachery 
towards me; yet, with all taken into consideration, Mrs. Ritchie 
appeared to be her trusted and most intimate friend in many 
instances, and both Mrs. Ritchie and Emma to my knowledge, 
were Laura’s most frequent callers and visitors; these facts were 
continuous reminders to my understanding, to be cautious about 
imparting unnecessary information to them, that I thought might 
place my said Manuel relatives of the four in a criminal view, 
lest the" identity of the informant reach their ears, or be too 
strongly suspected—my position being a dangerous one, I was 
realizing—too much so, to deliberately take dangerous chances, 
seeing no certain protection for myself, besides no chance of 
winning out. I had, therefore, practiced self-control and being 


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on my guard for sudden and unexpected surprises—particularly 
from Laura, lest I betray by word or expession the fact in some 
way, that I yet remembered: That when I was a little child 1 
had lived with missing people by the surname of Manuel,#priot 
to when I first saw and knew Laura and her former husband, who 
I was taught to address as Dave; whom I later discovered had 
both the given and surname of one of the missing Manuel brothers, 
namely, David Manuel. That Laura had told Mrs. Ritchie some 
kind of a combination story of truth and error to baffle and to 
cover secrets of the four said Manuel brothers and their families, 
appeared evident to my understanding from a little incident, that 
was in brief as follows: 

On my return from the “Seminary” one afternoon, I found 
Laura and Mrs. Ritchie occupying the sofa. Laura held on her 
lap a bundle. As I was entering the room she said: 

“Come here, Nellie, look at this cloth and tell me how you like 
it.” 

I observed it was a dress-skirt that had been ripped apart— 
I recognized it. I could feel myself slightly trembling, though 
I exercised all my power at self-contaol, being alert to the occa¬ 
sion; was careful not to look either Laura or Mrs. Ritchie in the 
eyes and reasoned rapidly; forming a very plausible excuse, I 
turned my back to them, was leaving the room and closing the 
door after me, when I heard Mrs. Ritchie softly inquire of Laura: 

“Do you think she recognized the dress?” 

Yes, I recognized the dress. Only one dress had I seen like it, 
and only one person had I seen wear it, and that person was My 
Mother; or the woman I had loved and lost at the same old house 
by the Napa river, years before. This dress revived memories of 
the mysterious past—memories inexpressibly sad; of the woman 
I had loved and lost so mysteriously. I wondered and reasoned: 
Why had Laura denied all knowledge of this missing woman to 
me? How did she get the dress in her possession, unless she had 
seen or known her? Why had Laura scolded, punished and fright¬ 
ened me for inquiring, crying, grieving, mentioning and alluding 
to this missing woman, whose dress she now held in her posses¬ 
sion? This incident of the dress appeared to my understanding, 
to be some bold subtile attempt of Laura’s to learn if I yet re¬ 
tained in memory, My Mother? Accordingly, I nerved myself 


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125 


for the trial, asked no questions about the dress or the cloth, nor 
let on as though I had ever seen it before. This dress-skirt was 
made into a polonaise; I prized it very highly, wore and kept it 
nice as long as I could. 

There were no witnesses or evidence obtainable that I knew 
or had any idea of, about the missing Manuels I had known when 
a little child, prior to when I saw any of the four alleged Manuels 
of California, or their families, and I was too small to know 
whether they owned any land or property when I missed them 

By chance, I met Emma Ritchie on a street by the same block 
where we resided, when she announced: 

“Say, Nell, I have a book with me that Mother would like to 
have you read; though you must first promise me that you will 
not, under any circumstance, let it be known, that we let you have 
the book to read, that you have read it, or that you know any of 
its contents. You might get both Mother and I into serious 
trouble if you let it be known. Mother thinks you might become 
wiser by reading it—if you will promise faithfully?” 

I promised. Emma handed me the book to read in the sum¬ 
mer time, either the year of 1872 or 1873—I do not remember 
which, when we were yet residents of the same old house. This 
book I read while concealed in the tall corn when opportunity 
afforded me chances, near where I kept it concealed. It proved 
to be an exposure of the notorious Bender family, who committed 
so many murders on Cherry creek, State of Kansas. As this 
promise was elicited from me for the protection of Mrs. Ritchie 
and her daughter Emma, no harm can come to them now by my 
relating the incident. Neither of them ever mentioned or insin¬ 
uated to me they had any object for my reading this book, more 
than is mentioned in the foregoing. 

It was during or near the year of 1870, when Laura took me 
twice with her to visit a family by the surname of Eggleston, 
whose residence was at a north end of Napa City. They then 
had two daughters, one of whom was married and who died a year 
or two later, leaving them one daughter namely, Mary. After 
these two visits, I neither saw or visited this Eggleston family 
until the year of 1872; when they, Laura, G. W. Manuel and wife 
Lucy, became attendants of the Unitarian Society, who held 
their meetings in the Court House of Napa City; that was across 


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the street from Dave’s blacksmith shop on Third and Browit 
streets. Laura’s attendance of the Sunday Unitarian^meetings 
proved to be of short duration; for Laura was one who was 
cautious about attending any public gathering in day-time. As 
to the cause, readers may draw their own conclusions when they 
have read all my accounts in SCENES, SKETCHES and evidence 
contained herein. Mr. and Mrs. Eggleston and their daughter 
Mary, became friendly, and I became somewhat acquainted with 
one Charles Lavensaler, while on Sunday visits at their home. I 
neither saw them often enough and was too young and inex¬ 
perienced to form any correct opinion of them, until further de¬ 
velopments. Were they not, to my personal knowledge, impli¬ 
cated, as it appears, in the conspiracy of Laura and others of the 
said and alleged Manuels of the four, I would omit their mention. 
Llowever, it appeared as though they were taking a very direct 
course in the game against me. In the same year of 1872, it 
was represented to me, that Laura became acquainted with one 
Henry S. Colburn, a carpenter by trade, at the time of her attend¬ 
ance of the Unitarian meetings at the Court House of Napa. It 
was during the spring or early part of the summer of 1873, when 
Mr. Henry S. Colburn, Mrs. Eggleston, her daughter Mary, with 
Mr. Charles Levansaler, put in their appearance at the same old 
house, where a noon wedding- lunch was prepared; then, and not 
until then, I was informed by them that Laura and Mr. Henry S. 
Colburn had been married the same day, at the conclusion of 
morning services of the Unitarian Society; they being the only 
guests at Laura’s wedding lunch. In the afternoon of the same 
day they notified me that Laura and Mr. Henry S. Colburn were 
going on a wedding tour to Vallejo, California, to be gone sev¬ 
eral days. Laura said: “You must stay here and take care of the 
place till we come home. I have made arrangements for George 
to be here evenings by 9 o’clock, so that you will not be alone in 
the house nights.” 

Bidding me good-bye, they all took their departure the same 
afternoon. I got along as housekeeper alone, better than I had 
expected. Evenings, before dark, I diligently searched the house, 
secured the doors and windows and awaited my elder said brother 
George’s arrival at 9 o’clock p. m., who came home punctual as 
promised. The first evening after the wedding, George appeared 


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127 


surprised to find me alone, with a supper prepared for him, of 
the remnants of the wedding lunch. George neither knew that 
Laura was married that day, that she intended to marry Henry 
S. Colburn, or had been invited to their wedding lunch, so he in¬ 
formed me. 

“It is all news to me,” he said. “Well, at any rate, I don’t 
expect to be here long to bother them. At least I feel pretty sure 
I won’t be.” 

Laura returned home with Mr. Colburn after several days’ 
absence and informed me that Mr. Colburn had a brother then liv¬ 
ing in Ukiah, Mendocino County, California; a Mr. Colburn and 
family, with whom they had been visiting, though this was to the 
extent of her information concerning them. I consulted Laura 
as to how I should address her new husband, Mr. Colburn, for, 
as I have previously related, I addressed no one as either Father 
or Mother. 

“Oh—just call him Mr. Colburn,” she said, “he won’t mind 
that.” 

George and Laura both addressed him as “Colburn,” without 
the Mr. before it. 

I then recalled to memory, two boys I had seen at the public 
school of Napa, namely, Horatio and Albert Colburn. I had also 
heard of one Orleans Colburn, all of them lived on a ranch some¬ 
where near Napa City, so I was informed, though I was not 
acquainted with any of them. These, Mr. Colburn informed me 
on inquiry, were his nephews and niece, and this was to the extent 
of his information in regards to them. Mr. Colburn was father of 
four children then, namely, Etta, Carrie, Belle and Willie, who 
were all living with his mother in Holowell, State of Main so he 
informed me. His youngest daughter Belle, he said, was very 
near my age. Both Mr. Colburn and Laura insisted upon my 
writing her a letter, and inviting her to make her home with us, 
which I did at their dictation. 

Laura insisted on my writing to a Mr. James Griswold, who 
she informed me was her father. “He is an old man between 
seventy and eighty years old, with hair white from age” she said. 
“He is now living in Aurora, Kane County, State of Illinois, 
where my sister Maria Thompson with her son and daughter are 
living, and where my brother Riley Griswold, with his wife and 


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two little girls are now living. Janies Griswold is your grand¬ 
father/’ said Laura, “and I think it will please him to hear from 
his little grand-daughter that he has never seen.” So at her dic¬ 
tation I wrote a letter addressed to one James Griswold, Aurora, 
Kane County, Illinois, which Laura placed in an envelope and 
carried away with her, saying that she would mail it to her 
father, James Griswold. From this letter Laura brought me an 
answer in due time, with all the appearance of having passed 
through the U. S. Mail Service, which I then thought was genuine 
as represented, containing the name and address of James Gris¬ 
wold, Aurora, Kane County, Illinois. 

“It makes the old man feel proud,” said Laura, “to find that 
he has a grand-daughter who can write so nice. You’d better write 
him another letter, you’ve done so well with the first.” 

I therefore wrote at Laura’s dictation a second letter and ad¬ 
dressed it to Mr. James Griswold, Aurora, Kane County, Illinois, 
from which Laura brought me an answer as before. When I had 
read this second and what proved to be the last letter I received, 
signed Janies Griswold, Aurora, Kane County, State of Illinois, 
Laura said: 

“I will take this letter with me now and let George Manuel 
read it. He is interested in all letters coming from James Gris¬ 
wold, because he is his father-in-law.” 

My first letter signed James Griswold, had disappeared, and 
after a reasonable length of time, I requested Laura to return 
the last letter she brought me signed Janies Griswold. 

Said Laura: “George is displeased with the last letter your 
grandfather wrote; and refuses to surrender the letter. He objects 
to your writing to him any more.” 

“What right,” said I, “has uncle George to read and to keep 
letters sent to me?” 

“He has no right, according to law,” said Laura, “but he is 
such a dangerous man—to complain of him, would not help matters 
any, and would only be to get one’s self into more serious trouble. 
He belongs to churches and lodges who uphold him in whatever 
he does, whether right or wrong, and he might use his influence 
with them to get the Court to pass you over into Dave’s hands 
So if you have any sense about you, you will keep still about his 
reading your grandfather’s letters, or that you got any letters 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


129 


from him.” 

Thus terminated my correspondence with one James Griswold, 
unknown to me. 

Laura informed Mr. Colburn in my presence, that I had an 
Aunt then living- in Aurora, Kane County, Illinois, with a son and 
daughter, namely: Mrs. Maria Thompson, Flora and Germane. 

“I think Nellie ought to write to her cousin Flora Thompson,” 
said Laura to Mr. Colburn. 

“Yes,” said Mr. Colburn, “it will give her practice in letter 
writing and a chance to learn something about her relation in 
Illinois.” 

Calling to mind the unsatisfactory termination of my cor¬ 
respondence with my said grandfather, James Griswold, I objected 
to writing to Flora Thompson. Nevertheless, both Laura and Mr. 
Colburn would not take no for an answer, and really compelled 
me to write three letters at their dictation addressed to one 
Flora Thompson, Aurora, Kane County, Illinois, which Laura 
mailed, or was supposed to have mailed for me; from which she 
brought answers stamped with all indications of having passed 
through the United States Postal Service. With the last of 
these letters, Laura brought a letter signed, Will Nichols, D. D., 
Aurora, Kane County, Illinois, desiring to open a correspondence 
with me, being introduced and recommended by my said cousin 
Flora Thompson. Laura was, or pretended to be, very indignant 
and displeased with both Flora Thompson and Will Nichols, 
D. D., of Aurora, Kane County, Illinois; forbade my writing any 
more to her, and ordered me to write a few lines to the said Will 
Nichols, D. D., notifying him that I was only a young school girl, 
and was not of proper age to correspond with gentlemen. Thus 
terminated my correspondence with both the formei and the 
latter. If any of these letters were mailed at the postoffice, Laura 
was responsible for them, for she did not allow me the liberty of 
mailing letters or calling for them at the post-office. 

It was under the summer sun of 1873, when I, to the best of my 
knowledge, was twelve and a half years old, while walking on 
Grant Avenue, Napa City, I met Charles Levansaler, the express- 
man, who drove rapidly to the sidewalk, handed me a paper ana 
drove rapidly away. It proved to be a short note, that ran to the 

effect: 


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LINKS OF MYSTElRY AND THEIR UNI£E1LING. 


“Meet me tonight, at midnight, for a boat-ride down the river, 
at the old tree near your house, where the boats are tied. Don’t 
be afraid—it is moonlight. I have important news to tell you. 

Your friend Charles.” 

This was a very surprising note. Though young and inexper¬ 
ienced, I reasoned that it was a very queer request for a man to 
ask of one like myself, when he could have met me in some proper 
and safer place in day-time to impart information. Prior to this 
occasion, both Mary and Mrs. Eggleston had informed me that 
Mary and Mr. Levansaler were engaged and were to be married 
soon. In view of the foregoing and later developments, it appears 
as though my alleged relatives of the four said Manuel brothers, 
had hired the same Charles Levansaler to hand me this note; that 
either Dave, or some member of his gang, would be waiting at the 
tree where the boats were tied and not Charles Levansaler. I 
wondered then if Charles Levansaler was secretly a friend of 
Dave’s? I neither ventured near the river or out of the house 
that night, and the following evening when Laura was in the 
kitchen and Mr. Colburn was on the porch, I handed him the note 
that Charles Levansaler had given me, saying, “read this note and 
give me your opinion of it.” 

After some questioning about how I got it and who gave it 
to me, he left the porch in an angry and excited manner, found 
Laura in the kitchen, had some conversation with her that I did not 
hear; then they both came to the porch, when Mr. Colburn de¬ 
manded : 

“Nellie, you tell Laura right here in my presence what you 
told me about Levansaler and the note he handed you!” 

Then I related the same to her as I had to him, Mr. Colburn 
appearing to be angry and excited and Laura surprised, or pre¬ 
tended to be. 

“Nellie, it is my duty, in a father’s place, to protect and warn 

you. Never recognize or speak to that d-d Levansaler again. 

Have no more to do with any of his friends—if you know them!” 

Then he instructed and ordered Laura to call on the Eggles¬ 
tons and notify them: That if they continue to be friendly with 
Levansaler, to keep away from his home and family from hence¬ 
forth. 

“I don’t propose to be jobbed,” he said angrily. “If Nellie had 



LINKS OP MYSTEIRY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


131 


been foolish enough to have gone to the river last night and had 
not returned home, there’s a big chance I’d been accused of having 
some part in the cause of her disappearance, and there’s no telling 
how I woud come out of it. I tell you right now, Lolly, I’ll not 
put up with any trickery like this.” 

I never spoke to the same Charles Levansaler again, neither to 
any of these Egglestons, excepting Mr. Eggleston, when I once 
ordered him years later to keep away from the place where I 
resided, or I would find a way to make him; that his white hairs 
would not save his pate, if he attempted to speak to me again. 
The same Charles Levansaler and Mary Eggleston were married 
several weeks after the former handed me the note. From the 
foregoing and later occurrences, it appeared very much to me as 
though the same Charles Levansaler and the same Mr. and Mrs. 
Eggleston were implicated in a conspiracy with my alleged Man¬ 
uel relatives of Napa (of the four), that will receive mention in 
a sketch of later date. 

AN IMPORTANT LINK IN THE CHAIN Oh EVIDENCE. 

George S. Samuel, my eldest said brother, brought a letter 
one summer day of 1873, when he came home for lunch at noon, 
which he read to himself and laughed over while sitting at the 
table. Being curious, I inquired who the letter was from, that 
afforded him so much amusement? 

“It is from my friend Ed Everts,” said George. 

This was a private letter; its contents were not intended for 
my reading or knowledge, nevertheless, I consider it no more 
than fair and right, under the circumstances, to make known one 
item in particular of this letter that pertained to my personal 
interests; that proved to be an important link in the chain of 
items that in years later helped to throw some light on the myster¬ 
ious doings of the alleged four Manuel brothers of California, 
and some of their accomplices in their plot and conspiracy. This 
is why I relate the following: 

When George read this letter, had left the table, had entered 
his private room leaving the door behind him slightly ajar; by 
quick, cautious movements and a quick glance, I saw him throw 
the letter into a trunk in the corner of the room. The next time 


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LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


I was left alone at the old house—simply from curiosity. I found 
the same trunk to be unlocked that I had hitherto supposed was 
kept locked—also saw the letter as George had thrown it down, 
which I opened and read; that was signed Ed Evarts. 

This Ed' Evarts was a brother-in-law to Dr. Pond, of Napa 
City, who was then George S. Manuel’s employer. This letter re¬ 
presented there was land in the State of Missouri that had been 
at some prior date owned by one or more persons having the sur¬ 
name of Manuel. The description of the land or the name of the 
County in which it was located, was not mentioned, being under¬ 
stood by them; that there had been an agreement; that Ed Evarts, 
on his way East, was to take notice of this land and describe the 
same to George S. Manuel, on his return to Napa City. As this letter 
said that George had requested his friend Ed Evarts to look up 
this land in the State of Missouri and to describe the same to him 
on his return, appeared obvious, that George S. Manuel had not 
yet seen this land. Never, at any time, did my said brother 
George S., mention or so much as hint to me, there was, or had 
been, any land or property in the State of Missouri owned by any 
one or more by the surname of Manuel. That George S., knew of 
such land and had never seen the same, that he was interested 
enough in the same land to make arrangements to have it de¬ 
scribed to him, were important links in the chain of mysterious 
evidences, as can be seen from accounts in the foregoing SCENES 
and SKETCHES and following SKETCHES and evidence. 

SKETCH 29. 

A STARTLING DISCOVERY. 

A picture is found of a missing loved one in furniture of 
the same old house by the Napa river, where I had 
discovered in the year of 1868 a missing David Manu¬ 
el’s picture among some books; where I had missed 
and lost the woman I loved—My Mother. A severe 
trial—an awful disappointment. 

When Laura with her three boys and myself returned to the 
same old house by the Napa river to reside in the spring of 1868. 
after Laura had left Dave and the home of the alleged G. W. 




LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


133 


Manuel and his wife Lucy, our furniture in all rooms excepting one, 
was old and of a cheap variety. One front room that was used 
for both sitting room and parlor, contained some furniture that 
was, to the best of my knowledge, mahogany and mahogany¬ 
framed, that I then recognized and had seen prioir to this year, 
namely: a large, haircloth-cushioned lounge, that stood in a 
corner of the room farthest from doors, the same that was occupied 
by Laura and Lucy during their secret interviews and consulta¬ 
tions; a large mirror, that hung on the wall between two entrance 
doors; under this mirror was a two-leaved table, that stood 
against the wall with folded leaves and coverlet of black and red 
felt; an old fashioned, red mahogany-framed clock on the wall. 
Besides this red mahogany furniture, there were several new 
chairs that were less expensive furniture; an old red and black 
wool carpet; a large rug in front of the lounge, comprised the 
furniture of this room then. The books among which I had found* 
the picture of the missing David Manuel, had disappeared, so far 
as I had any knowledge of them, of which I heard no mention 

or account of. 

Laura had opposed my learning to sew; though through the 
influence and persuasion of Mrs. Ritchie and hei daughter Emma, 
she had consented to my learning to cut out quilt blocks and sew 

them together. 

It was a quiet summer day of 1873; Laura was busy in the 
kitchen, giving more attention to cooking since her marriage to 
Mr. Colburn, than formerly, preparing and cooking good things 
for him to eat, from which I had been excluded in taking part. 

She had said that morning: 

“Nellie, you stay in the front room and sew on youi quilt 
blocks. I won’t be bothered with your mussing around the 

kitchen.” 

Finding' it inconvenient to cut quilt blocks on the coverlet, 

I removed it from the table, moved the table out from the wall 
and opened the leaves; a liberty I had not hitherto taken. Laura, 
apparently, of late had given no unnecessary attention about what I 
was doing—she never did like my company, and I did not think ot 
her appearing in this room of my quietude—not for an hour at 
least. The front door towards the river was open, through which 
there came a balmy breeze, blowing quilt blocks from the ex- 

( 5 ) 


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LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


quisitely polished and varnished table to the floor. A very thin 
edge of something in a thin crack under a leaf of the table drew 
my attention, which I picked out of concealment, resumed my 
seat at the table facing the river, to examine what I saw at a first 
glance was the picture of a man. At my back, the two entrance 
doors to the kitchen were open; I could yet hear the busy sound 
of Laura’s feet on the kitchen floor. This was a tinted picture, 
and was, to the best of my knowledge, a daguerreotype, of a young- 
looking man in a sitting posture, taken to the knees; the most 
life-like of any person I have ever seen; the same, or very much 
the same styled picture, and clothes, as they appeared in the 
picture of a missing David Manuel, whose picture I had found 
and recognized among the books, in the same old house, in the 
spring of 1868 (which is described in Sketch 13); the vest he wore 
was black velvet, his coat and pants were black, or of some dark 
material, as appeared from the picture; from a vest pocket hung 
a tinted, large-linked, gold watch-chain; one hand rested on a 
knee, from which showed plainly, a tinted, crowned gold ring, 
on the little finger; the face, according to the picture, was that of 
a fair-complexioned, full-faced, rosy-cheeked, robust, young man; 
the watch chain and ring I had seen the original of this picture 
wear; they were like a watch chain and ring that I had seen the 
alleged G. W. Manuel (one of the four) wearing in the spring of 
1868, and it is yet my opinion they were the same. (They are men¬ 
tioned in Sketch 12). Observing how much the face and its ex¬ 
pression resembled my own, I sat like one in a trance, gazing at 
the picture, intensely thinking, oblivious to all else. I recognized 
the face—a face I had seen when a little child; yes, now I remem¬ 
bered, the original of this picture had carried me in his arms, I 
had traveled with him. I could feel and hear my heart beat as 
the good-natured expression of the face was bringing back glad 
memories of one who had been to me a fond and loving father; I 
observed some resemblance between this face and the face of the 
picture I had found of the missing David Manuel, who again came 
to memory. From memory and intuition, I then understood it 
to be no other than the picture of the man I had most loved and 
missed—my father—having seen no face that so much resembled 
my own, since I had missed and lost him—no man I had loveci 
like him; who was a brother to the David Manuel I had known and 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


135 


missed, who I had understood was a brother to a Chandler Manuel 
—also missing. If I yet remembered his first name, I could not 
connect it by memory with the recollections this picture had 
brought back of him then. Now that I recognized his picture, it 
was the most precious of treasures to me, and I resolved to con¬ 
ceal and to keep it—when, oh ! \\ hat a disappointment! too sad 

to describe! While in the act of rising from my chair to find a 
place of concealment for this precious picture—like one awaking 
from a trance, I beheld to my wonder and intense i egret, Laura, 
standing at my left, whose presence I had been totally unaware 
of, with tragic and ghastly face, that seemed to say: Do you recog¬ 
nize the picture? Have you any recollections of its original? 
At first sight of her face as she stood with staring eyes averting 
alternately at the picture and myself, as though the sight of this 
picture—only a picture—had so surprised and unnerved her, that 
she could not speak for a minute or so, during which time, 
thoughts flashed through my brain rapidly to the effect: Some 
crime had been committed' or some tragedy had taken place—thus 
accounting for the missing loved ones gone—gone ever since 1 
saw the face of Laura the morning I missed and lost the woman 
I loved at the same old house by the Napa river; whom I have 
named herein My Mother. I thought, this must also be a picture 
of the man whom I had heard Lucy tell Laura I had such a strong 
resemblance to, whose face and identity they were so anxious and 
careful should not be known, as I understood: also thought , 
this must have been the man whose apparition was felt or ap¬ 
peared to Lucy’s husband, G. W. Manuel, whose eyes were 
haunted Then fearing that this man whom I had known, had 
lived with when a little child—this missing one who had been so 
dear, so loving to me, had been killed; that my alleged uncle, the 
alleged G W. Manuel, must have had some guilty part m the 
death of this missing one; that from grief, sad experience and 
severity I had found it extremely dangerous to mention, to in¬ 
sinuate or to let it be known that I had lived with or remembered 
any person by the name of Manuel, prior to when I saw any of my 
then said Manuel relatives (the four said Manuel brothel s or then 
wives, of Napa City), and quickly using all my efforts to compose 
myself and to feign forgetfulness and ignorance as to the ongma 
of it having a suspicion then that he might have been murdeieU 


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LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


and that my alleged uncle G. W. Manuel, had been guilty of some 
part in the crime, I wondered if my time had come to be disposed 
of, because I had seen the picture of a missing Manuel, who I 
might have recognized and remembered and might reveal the 
fact to some one? For me to attempt to conceal this picture, now 
that Laura was viewing it, was impossible, so I softly said to her: 

“Why Laura, you look so white, you must be sick. What can 
I do for you?” There came no response. “Let me bring water 
for you to drink and to bathe your face—I never saw you look so 
white before.” 

She put out her hands to prevent my rising from the chair, 
then found her voice, saying: 

“Whose picture have you there?” 

“I don’t know the name,” said I. 

“Where did you get the picture?” she demanded. 

Then I explained to her how I happened to discover it. 

“Show me right where you found that picture, and how you 
got it,” she demanded. 

Then I showed her where I found it and how I had picked it 
out of the crack in the table. 

“Why, do you know who it is a picture of?” said I, “did you 
ever see it before?” 

“It is the picture of that Harrison Manuel, old Dave Manuel’s 
brother; the man that committed murder in his blacksmith shop. 
I didn’t know there was any more of his pictures in this house; 
give it to me, and I’ll burn it up; and I hope it will be the last one 
of his old pictures I’ll have to burn. I don't want anybody to know 
that any of his pictures were in this house. He has disgraced us 
enough, and I want the disgrace to die out.” 

Could I have seen any chance to make my escape from Laura 
and retain the picture in my possession, I would have ventured 
the chance and after consequences, rather than to have surrendered 
the picture of my once loving father to her. _ Seeing no other 
alternative, I handed her the picture, and to dispel suspicion from 
her mind that I recognized it, or that it had revived any memory 
I might have of the original, I inquired: 

“Do you think there is any danger of that Harrison Manuel 
making a sneak on us here? He might kill us.” 

“No,” said Laura, more composed and her face less pallid, 


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137 


“he wouldn’t dare to come here now, for fear he might get caught 
If any of the officers found out that one of his pictures was found 
in this house and I didn’t turn it over to them, it would get us all 
into trouble and bring worse disgrace on us than it has already. 
Now I warn you, that under no circumstance do you tell or hint 
to anybody that you found or saw that picture, or that I saw it. 
If you disobey me, it will go hard with you—I’ll promise you that! 
There’s no telling where you’ll end—bear it in mind and don’t 
forget what I tell you!” 

I believed then, that this picture I had found in a crack of the 
red mahogany table, was no other than a picture of my missing 
father whom I had not seen since a little child, and continuing in 
the same opinion to this writing, for this reason and for conven¬ 
ience in future references, I will name the original of this picture. 
My Father. 

Laura’s marriage to Henry S. Colburn seemed to have changed 
the current of affairs to some extent, encouraged her to be bolder 
in her schemes of conspiracy in some ways, and to hurry on 
events. Laura-was keeping a close lookout to see that I did not 
go out of the yard, compelling me to remain in the house most of 
the time and in the room of her presence. It was not far from the 
hour of 3 p. m. the day after I had found the picture of My Father, 
in a crack of the red mahogany table; the front door of the sitting 
room was wide open and the blinds were up, facing the river; 
Laura and I were both in the sitting room, the only two persons 
on the premises then, that I know of. A man, a stranger to me, 
opened the front gate, hurriedly came and stood at the front door 
that was open, without any greeting or recognition, said to Laura 

as she stepped to the door: 

“I’ve come for the papers.” . 

This was all he said from the time he appeared and disappeared 
from our view. Laura’s only reply to the man, and all she said 
from the time he appeared and disappeared from our view, was. 

“I’ll have them for you in a minute. ” 

Then, very much to my surprise, Laura twisted the leaves 
of the table; then a secret box apartment of the table was re¬ 
vealed. that I never knew or suspected was there, containing pack¬ 
ages of letters—some tied with ribbon, some of them yellow, 
apparently from age; there were also other packages of papers 


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LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


—some yellow, apparently from age, having the form and appear¬ 
ance of legal papers or documents of some kind; there also was 
a pile of tintype or daguerreotype pictures, that appeared to he 
the same kind of pictures as those I had found of My Father 
and the missing David Manuel; and I observed that it was from 
a crack in this secret box of the table that I had extracted the 
picture of my missing father. This, with other facts in foregoing 
SCENES and SKETCHES gave me reasons to think that some, 
if not all, of what I believe to have been daguerreotype pictures 
in this secret box of the table, were pictures of my relatives. I 
saw Laura take papers from packages of this secret box and 
hand them to the man standing at the door, who had come for 
them; who, without a word, nod or sign of recognition, eagerly 
took them from her hand, abruptly faced about and hurried away, 
soon disappearing from our view. Without a word of explana¬ 
tion—she never did give me any—as to any of the contents of this 
table, who the man was, why she had handed him these papers or 
what they pertained to; Laura hurriedly closed the table in front 
of my eyes with all its contents. 

The general appearance of this man who called for the papers, 
continued in my memory from the same occurence, as a taller, 
longer legged and shorter bodied man than average, having large 
bones containing no unnecessary flesh, apparently, with feet and 
hands to match; his chin was broad, and both chin and face ap¬ 
peared longer than average; the skin of his face was fair; his 
eyes were some shade of blue; no whiskers appeared on his face 
—only a profuse mustache, of the red-shade variety; I observed 
and remembered also, that the coat he wore was too short to be 
becoming to him. Like one disinterested and unsuspecting, 1 
asked no questions of Laura about the secret contents of the table, 
the man who came for the papers, or what the papers pertained 
to. What a relief it was to me, when Laura announced the fol¬ 
lowing morning: 

“Nellie, I’m going away to spend the day, and you must stay 
here till I come home. I’ll be back before dark.” 

When Laura had gone, I sank down on the rug in front of the 
sofa, from real exhaustion, to rest and to think of what I had seen, 
heard and witnessed the two days preceding, and I reasoned to 
the effect: Laura had hinted to persons in my presence that 1 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


139 


had some wrong notions in my head, that had been caused by an 
injury when an infant, which left the scar in my left eyebrow 
that was yet noticeable; that on this account, what I might say 
was not always reliable. To complain to any officer of the law about 
any of the missing Manuels I now had a suspicion might have been 
murdered, and to implicate Laura in the crime, would also im¬ 
plicate others of my said Manuel relatives, and where was there 
any proof of anything I might say about the missing ones? 
Laura, Lucy, George and Dave and no telling how many others 
would be their own witnesses against me, and my testimony 
would not be accepted by the Court. To cause Laura any ser~ 
ious alarm by repeating what she had told me not to, I therefore 
concluded would not help present affairs any, and inignt cause 
Laura and her aids to have me placed in an insane asylum, there 
to be disposed of. Then I was suddenly aroused by hearing 
footsteps from the front way facing the river, and looking around, 

I beheld Emma Ritchie. Emma wanted me to go some place with 

her and inquired: 

“Say, Nell, why don’t you get your mother to buy you a new 

hat? 

“I don’t suppose she can afford it,” said I in a voice that was 
not cheerful. 

“What is the matter with you today, Nell? You look like 
vou have lost all your friends,” said Emma, to which I gave no 

response. 

“Your mother can afford to buy you a new hat, Nell, she has 
money to spend on herself and the boys. I know she is not 
treating you right. I don't see why she is so stingy, when it 
comes to buying anything for you. She don't act like she is 

your mother.” 

I sat like one dazed looking and listening to Emma, giving 
no response—tears came to my eyes. Emma seated herself on the 
mg, clasped her arms around my neck sympathetically, saying: 

“Nellie, are yon sick? You look so pale and sad today.” 

“In a moment of weakness or desperation—maybe both, I 
answered* “I have no mother, Emma, and I do not look for very 
much from Laura to my pleasure or benefit. I guess you have ob¬ 
served enough at your age to know that a mother likes her own 


140 


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children best, and it is natural for Laura to like and favor her 
own children better than me.” 

I was hysterical with disappointment, the awful ordeal that 
I had passed through the two preceding days, grief and appre¬ 
hension—too much so, to realize what I was saying, until it had 
been said. 

The tears came to Emma’s eyes and her answer: “I believe 
you, Nellie, every word you have told me.” Then we both wept 
together. 

Then suddenly realizing what I had said, believing that I 
had made the most serious of mistakes, I exclaimed: “Oh, Emma! 
Why did I tell you this! Yet it is true—too awful true—but why 
did I tell you? Emma, for your own sake, for the sake of your moth¬ 
er, your father, your brothers and little sister, as well as for my own 
sake, if you are a friend of mine and are wise, never reveal to any one 
what I have just told you. Never ask me any questions on the 
same subject. Misery likes sympathy—I need sympathy—though 
it is too dangerous a subject to mention. Promise me, Emma,”—- 
she promised. 

“Nellie, you don’t look like Laura, her sons or any of the 
Manuels I have seen; you don’t have ways like them. Eve heard 
people speak of it; but there is one question I would like to 
ask you—if I am not asking too much, and it is not on the same 
subject.” Emma said. 

“Ask the question, Emma,” I said. “If I think safe, I will an¬ 
swer it.” 

“Who was the man who committed the murder in Dave Man¬ 
uel’s blacksmith shop?” was Emma’s inquiry, that was the first 
and last time she ever mentioned the murder that was committed 
in Dave’s blacksmith shop, to me. 

“I did not see or hear any murder committed there, Emma,” 
I said, “though Laura told me that Harrison Manuel, a brother to 
Dave Manuel, committed murder there. Laura says this murder 
brought such a disgrace on us all that she hates to hear the sub¬ 
ject mentioned, hoping the disgrace will die out.” This terminated 
the subject with Emma. 

Then looking about the room, Emma inquired: “Why, Nellie, 
what has become of the table?” 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


141 


Then, and not until then, I discovered that the red mahogany 
table from which I had extracted My Father’s picture, that had 
stood with folded leaves in the room so long, was missing. 

‘‘Do you know that you are the first to call my attention to 
it,” said I, “I neither knew the table was gone or saw anyone take 
it away.” 

“How strange,” said Emma. “Nellie, I believe there is some 
mystery about you and the family you are living with, and I will 
tell you confidentially now, that I am not the only person who 
thinks so.” 

“There might be,” said I, “but believe me, I have become con¬ 
vinced, that to say as much where it might be brought to Laura’s 
ears, or to the ears of any of the Manuels here in town, is dan¬ 
gerous.” 

With this exception, I do not remember of hearing anyone 
mention to me or in my presence the names, Harrison and Hiram 
Manuel, only the said and alleged Manuels of the four, namely: 
Dave, Laura, Lucy and George W. Manuel. Not one of their 
children spoke of them to me that I can remember, and all I heard 
or knew of their existence or whereabouts is mentioned and 
explained in the foregoing SCENES and SKETCHES. 

When Laura came home I said to her: “Laura, the table is 
gone, what has become of it?” 

“Lucy sent for it,” she said. “I need a bureau more than 1 
did the table, and Lucy is going to send me one in exchange for 

it.” 

Months later, I came home one day and found a cheap bureau 
that was not worth half what the table was worth, which Laura 
said Lucy had sent her in exchange for the table. This proved 
to be the last mention and account I heard of the red mahogany 
table from any of my alleged relatives. 

SKETCH 29. 

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS—LINKS IN THE CHAIN OF 

EVIDENCE. 

During the winter of 1873 or the beginning of 1874, we 
vacated the old house facing the Napa river and moved into a new 
house on Grant Avenue, that Mr. Colburn had built on a lot 


« 


!42 LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 

Laura said he had bought, adjoining the yard where the old house 
stood. ‘ On Grant Avenue, adjoining the lot where Mr. Colburn had 
built his new house, were two lots that Laura said her brother 
Isaac Griswold had bought, on which he built a two-story house 
for himself and family. It appeared evident to me that Laura 
had herself become convinced by this time that all lecollection 
that I had had of those missing ones I had known and lived with, 
or any article that had belonged to them, had gone from my 
memory; which caused her to be bolder in hei private declara¬ 
tions to me, some entirely false, some of them mixed with truth 
and error, designed to baffle, deceive both myself and others, 
for the purpose of covering murders, perjury committed and to 
defraud me out of any and all that rightfully belonged to me 
that had been owned by missing relatives, as will appear. Soon 
after we moved into the new house on Grant Avenue, Lain a gave 
me a private lecture and some advice, to her personal interests 
and the gang she was a member of, some of which was to the sum 
and effect: 

Said Laura: “Nellie, I am the only true friend you have. 
You should place all confidence in me, and keep no secrets from 
me. You should ask me for any and all information you want 
to know about family affairs, and not under any circumstance 
inquire about family affairs of people outside of the family. Any 
information about people in town, you should inquire of me. To 
say or do anything to injure the reputation of your relation, is 
to give people a poor opinion of yourself. The more you can 
cover up disagreeable family affairs and the better you can make 
your relation appear to people, the better it will be for you, and 
the better opinion people will have of you. To say or insinuate 
that you have any bad relation, is a disgrace to yourself. I have 
struggled and worried to keep you from falling into the hands 
of Dave Manuel, who I now think is crazy by spells, and has not 
always been responsible for what he does and says. Lucy is a 
p-ood-hearted woman and means well, but she is too sensitive about 
her children and has not always treated you as well as she ought to 
on account of them. You have done so much better than either 
of Lucy's children, who have had better opportunities and so 
much more money paid out for their advancement, that Lucy feels 
touchy, and sometimes gets ugly about it; though it has never 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


143 


been Lucy’s intention to do you any serious injury—she is not that 
kind of a person. She has aristocratic notions and wants her 
children to associate with aristocracy, that makes her sound ridi¬ 
culous at times, that is an injury to her. 

“I am your mother,” said Laura, “though I taught you and 
George to call Dave and me by our given names, because it made 
us feel too old to have you call us father and mother. I intend 
to do the best I can by you, but you must obey what I tell you.” 

For Laura to go so far after so many years, as to tell me that 
she was my mother, was more surprising than all else, and this 
was the first and only time she ever did, desiring that I continue 
to address her as Laura. 

I knew her too well at this date to inquire into family affairs, 
or to repeat very much to her of what I heard and knew, and 1 
gave her very little trouble about asking questions of any descrip¬ 
tion. Some scheme in view—I thought, though I had no idea then 
as to what it might be. It was not long after this private talk, it 
might have been the year of 1874, it might have been the year of 
1875, I do not remember the year exact, when Laura one day 
said to me: 

“Nellie, I want you to get ready and go up town with me”; a 
demand extraordinary from her. W e walked to third and Brown 
streets and entered a room in the Court House, where Laura told 
me to be seated and wait there until she called for me. Stepping 
into an adjoining room, she closed the door after her, and after 
an absence of about ten minutes, beckoned me to enter the same 
room, where I saw seated at a desk, one with whom I was not pci- 
sonally acquainted, or had ever spoken to ; yet, I knew him well 
by sight and reputation as Dave McClure, the lawyer. He did 
some writing on what apparently was a legal papei of some kind, 
then turned about in his chair, faced me, and without any form 
of introduction, or inquiry as to my name or who I was, said to 

Laura: 

“Is this the heir?” to which Laura responded: 

“Yes, she is the heir.” 

“Will you swear to it,” said Dave McClure, “Is she the true 
heir?” 

• “Yes, I will swear to it,” said Laura, “She is the true heir." 


144 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


Then Dave McClure, as it appeared, signed the same papers 
and handed it to Laura without any further word or explanation. 
Laura then hurried me out of his office. On our way home I tried 
to find out from her something about what I was heir to, and 
what the papers pertained to that Dave McClure had handed her. 

“It is not for you to know,” she said. ‘ You must ask no more 
questions or say anything about it to anyone. I’ve got to outwit 
that old scoundrel, Dave Manuel. I may tell you some time, but 
this explanation ought to be enough to satisfy you for a while. 
Time proved this to be the first, last and only mention of this 
paper to me, and I never knew, or found out what this paper 
pertained to, more than I have explained. If I ever saw the same 
Dave McClure afterwards, I do not remember it, and was soon 
after this transaction informed by Laura, that he had left Napa; 
though his whereabouts was concealed from my knowldge. I did 
not believe that either Laura, Dave, or any of my alleged Manuel 
relatives of the four, would ever willingly of their own choice, 
will me any land or property of any description. My treatment 
from them warranted me thinking so. Laura as I knew her, ap¬ 
peared to be a treacherous schemer of some kind, so far as I was 
concerned, and I therefore supposed this transaction between her 
and Dave McClure to be some kind of a fraudulent scheme in 
which my name was used to prevent Laura’s former husband, 
namely, the said and alleged David and David A. Manuel, and his 
wife Charlotte, from getting her share of money and property they 
controlled, or were in possession of, whatever it might consist of. 
All they were doing or intended to do for me, was as little as pos¬ 
sible, to satisfy the demands of law and the public, where and 
whenever they found or thought it to be necessary to deceive, to 
baffle, to conceal crime and their conspiracy. I was retained in 
Laura’s care and custody like a stinted boarder and lodger, whom 
it was profitable or necessary to retain with her at all hazzards. 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


145 


A LINK IN THE CHAIN OF EVIDENCE THAT IN LATER 
YEARS LED TO THE DISCOVERY OF LAND 
THAT WAS HELD BY SHAFFER AND 
BARNETT, ACCOMPLICES OF THE 
FOUR SAID MANUEL BRO¬ 
THERS, OF CALIFORNIA, 

AND OTHERS. 

It was not far from the date that I was witness to the trans¬ 
actions of Laura and Dave McClure, the lawyer, when Laura again 
ordered: ■ 

“Nellie, I want you to get ready and go up town with me.” 

As Laura was opening the front gate on Grant Avenue, Mrs. 
Ritchie met us and inquired: “Dave Manuel once owned some 
land in the State of Missouri, did he not?” to which Laura’s re¬ 
sponse was: 

“Oh—he bought some wild land there years ago—miles from 
any settlement, for almost nothing. I didn’t think it ever would 
be worth anything during our lifetime, and havn’t bothered my 
head about it.” 

This was all they said in my presence about any land in the 
State of Missouri, with no mention or hint as to the County or 
location of this land; this proved to be the only mention of Mrs. 
Ritchie in my presence of any land in the State of Missouri which 
any Manuel owned or was supposed to have owned, or any other 
land or property in the possession or control of any person having 
the surname of Manuel, excepting the property in Napa described 
in foregoing SCENES and SKETCHES. I went with Laura 
and Mrs. Ritchie to the Court House of Napa, where I was called 
as witness for Laura against her former husband (who was known 
in Napa and on some Court Records there as both David Manuel 
and David A. Manuel) in regards to their boys, Louis and Augus¬ 
tus, when Laura had a suit in Court to have these two boys given 
into her care and custody and released from their ruffian father 
and his wife Charlotte. When my testimony was ended I was 
hurried out of the Court room, and was accompanied home by 
Mrs. Ritchie and Laura, who appeared very much pleased with me 
as a witness. This was the only time I was called before the Court 

as a witness. 


146 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND TIIE1R UNVEILING. 


“Nellie was your star witness,” said Mrs. Ritchie to Laura, 
laughingly. There was no hesitation of the judge to decide that you 
should have the boys, when he heard her answers.” 

HENRY S. COLBURN SHOT DAVE MANUEL, (ONE OF 

THE FOUR). 

George S. Manuel, my eldest said brother, came home not long 
after and announced that our said step-father and Laura's husband, 
Hensy S. Colburn, had shot Dave Manuel (one of the four). 1 he 
shooting took place, George said, in Dr. Pond’s drug store where 
he was clerking and alone at the time of the occurence, and was 
the only witness to their conversation and shooting. Dave was 
an pry, and threatingly followel “Colburn” into the drug store, 

O J ' o ^ 

said George. “Colburn” would stand no show against Dave’s 
strength and warned Dave to keep away from him. Dave kept 
coming nearer until “Colburn” found it necessary to shoot him in 
self-defense. The same evening George reported home that 
“Colburn” had that day been arrested for the shooting of Dave 
Manuel, and had been released by his testimony. In regards to the 
cause of their trouble that led to the shooting, I heard no mention, 
which was carefully concealed from my knowledge. Dave’s 
wound did not prove fatal, from which he recovered; and it was 
a short time after I was called to the Court as witness against 
him, when his boys, Louis and Augustus, were given into the 
custody of their mother, who was then Laura C. Colburn. I met 
the boys on Grant Avenue coming home, who threw their hats into 
the air giving joyful shouts and saying, “Hello, Nellie! We’re 
coming home now to live with you again! Won’t we have lots 
of fun goin’ fishin’?” The boys said that their step-mother, Char¬ 
lotte, had been good to them, though they preferred to live with 
Laura and be with me. Their ruffian father had taught them 
while they resided with him and his wife Charlotte, to address him 
as Pa-Pa, and had compelled them to leave off calling him Dave. 

I became acquainted with a family whose residence was 
across the street from us on Grant Avenue, having two daughters 
near my age, late of San Francisco, so they informed me, who 
could sing, dance, crochet and do housework; who taught me to 
crochet, taught me the steps to several round dances and I also 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


147 


learned some songs from them, which we were keeping secret 
from Laura for the time being; my excuse to them for secrecy 
being that I wanted to surprise Laura. At a northerly end of town, 
some little distance from residences, was a locust grove, where a 
large floor was prepared for dancing during May-Day picnics, 
Fourth of July celebrations and other occasions during each year, 
where a general attendance of the people of Napa and sometimes 
visitors from other places on May-Days and Fourth of July cele¬ 
brations; where band music was furnished and dancing was in¬ 
dulged in; where beginners had some opportunity to observe and 
to practice dancing, as well as the experienced and expert dancers. 
These were my only chances as a beginner to practice round dances 
and learn to dance quadrilles; for Laura did allow me the privi¬ 
lege of attending picnics here when accompanied by Emma Rit¬ 
chie or her mother, though Laura did not attend any of them. It 
was at these picnics that I learned to dance with Emma Ritchie 
and our acquaintances from San Francisco, besides others of the 
town with whom I was somewhat acquainted. I found no difficul¬ 
ty in learning to dance, it came easy and natural to me after a few 
trials on the platform at the locust grove. Emma Ritchie 
wanted to get some idea about how Laura would act, when the fact 
that I had learned to dance might be brought to her ears, and one 

day made the request to Laura: 

“Say, Mrs. Colburn, my brother Jim has paid my tuition to 
dancing school, and I would like to have Nellie accompany me 
there today.” 

“Laura shook her head very decidedly, gave Emma a meaning 
glance, saying: “Oh, my no, Emma! Yoivll have that girl ruined; 
she is too young to dance and to attend dancing school.” 

“Why Mrs. Colburn, there are little boys and girls no more 
than six and seven years old attending dancing school, and what 

harm could it do a girl of Nellie s age: 

“They are not like Nellie,” said Laura, “Nellie ought to be 
kept quiet; dancing and music are too exciting for her. I’ve had 
a hard time to raise her, and I know what is best for her better 


than you do.” 

“Mrs Colburn, I would like to have her go with me today, just 
to see what dancing school is like; as a visitor, not to dance. I will 
be responsible to see that she is in right company and no harm 


148 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


comes to her. I will bring - her home if I see anything wrong. Do 
let her go with me today—just this once—won t you, Mrs. Col¬ 
burn?” was Emma’s urgent request. 

Laura, very much against her wish, gave her consent to satis¬ 
fy Emma, with an understnding that she was not to make the 
second request. I accompanied Emma to dancing school the same 
afternoon, where I saw a nicely conducted dancing school, where 
mothers accompanied children, where girls of my age, some older 
and younger, were learning to dance. How I did wish to be a 
member of this dancing school. The music was charming. 

THE AGE OF GEORGE MANUEL, LAURA’S ELDEST SAID 
SON, WHO WAS MY ELDEST SAID BROTHER. 

It was near, or during the autumn of 1874, when I accompanied 
Laura and Emma Ritchie to the train at Napa to see Laura’s eldest 
said son away on the train, who was then known in Napa as George 
S. Manuel and my eldest said brother. While awaiting his arrival 
at the train, Emma Ritchie remarked to Laura: 

“Mrs. Colburn, is it not too bad that George is going to throw 
better chances away by joining the Seventh-Day Adventist deno¬ 
mination? Why don’t you try to stop him?” 

“George will be twenty-one years old in a few days,” replied 
Laura, “and it would be useless for me to try to prevent him from 
going with them now.” 

I understood from this and other conversations, that George 
was then to board the train for Oakland, Alameda County, where 
he was to be employed by the “Pacific Press” Publishing Com¬ 
pany, on Castro street, between 11th and 12th streets. George 
then ceased to be a resident of Napa City. 

MR. HENRY S. COLBURN ARRIVES AT NAPA WITH 

TWO DAUGHTERS. 

Mr. Colburn had been absent from home. Both Mr. Colburn 
and Laura had, prior to his absence, informed me that he was going 
to Hollowell, State of Maine, to settle an estate there and bring 
home with him his youngest daughter Belle, to be my companion. 
It was at some date during the beginning of 1875 when I accom- 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


149 


panied Laura to the train at Napa to meet Mr. Colburn, whose 
arrival was expected, when we saw him alight from the train with 
two girls. Mr. Colburn acted glad to see us and to get home, say¬ 
ing they had had a long and tiresome journey from Maine to Cali¬ 
fornia. I was surprised when Mr. Colburn introduced the two 
girls to us as his daughters, namely, Carrie and Belle, though 1 
was glad that they were going to reside with us, and gave them a 
welcome greeting. Mr. Colburn, apparently, was of the Caucas* 
sian race of people, and though I later observed that his daughters 
had some features and characteristics indicative that Mr. Colburn 
was their natural father, Laura informed me that their mother was 
of the race of people called Indians. 

“There can be very little difference between your age and 
Belle’s,” said Mr. Colburn to me, “and Carrie is at least two years 
older than either of you.” 

Carrie was disposed to be good natured with those she liked, 
and she appeared to have taken a liking to me when I first met 
and g-ave her a friendly greeting and welcome at the train. We 
became jolly companions. Belle did not appear to have any 
fondness for any member of the family, not even her father or 
her sister Carrie, and quite the reverse for Laura’s boys, Louis and 
Augustus, who were quick to take offense from their step-sister 

Belle. 

what was the cause or motive for so sudden 

A CHANGE. 

Months had elapsed since May Manuel failed to make her ap¬ 
pearance at the “Seminary,” for which I heard no explanation 
Since then I had neither seen May, her father, mother or brother; 
neither heard of or knew of their whereabouts. Howevei, it was 
two or three weeks after Carrie and Belle Colburn’s arrival at our 
new home on Grant Avenue, when Mrs. Lucy Manuel with her 
daughter and son, May and Walter, called and remained the 
afternoon with us, and these visits occurred nearly every day for 
a week, though I do not remember of one of them eating a meal 
in the house or remaining in the house over night. Canie and 
Belle were introduced to their new aunt and cousins, with whom 
they were sociable. This is the first time May and Walter had 
called or visited at our home for years, that I had any knowledge 


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of. These visits were the first that Lucy was ever sociable, acting 
like a real aunt to me. It was not unreasonable, therefore, after 
all that I have herein related, that I should think strange of it, 
and wonder what it all meant and. what had brought it about, being 
then young, inexperienced and ignorant of the motives and causes 
of plots and conspiracies of crime, on account of the way I hac! 
been raised, to connect the mysterious links in the chain of evi¬ 
dence together and guess at the real cause. I was so accustomed to 
the strange and unexplained behavior of my said Manuel relatives 
of the four, and being naturally cheerful, disposed to excuse and to 
account for the unnatural and mean behavior of them towards me 
in a better view than was real, that I could not understand their 
plot and conspiracy and that any one of them would be as dan¬ 
gerous to me as the other, sooner or later. I was too small to 
remember or know about land, houses or money that my missing 
relatives might have possessed when I missed them. Though not 
a word or hint had been given me, it apparently had been prear¬ 
ranged that at the termination of my said aunt and cousins’ visits 
in Napa, that I should go home with them; for, to my surprise and 
wonder, the morning they were to return to Oakland, Lucy said: 

“Nellie, go home with us and have a visit. You should think 
no more about the trouble that mischief-makers have caused 
between us. Go home with us and we will all do our best to 
make a pleasant time for you. You will make us feel bad if you 
don’t.” 

This invitation I refused in as polite a manner as I could and 
knew how, according to the circumstances, to avoid offense. 

“Yes,” said May, “Til do all I can to have you enjoy the 
visit —we never did have a good visit together. Vv e never did 
have any trouble till other people made it for us.” 

“Nellie is getting old enough now to begin to go in company 
like other girls,” said Lucy, “and this will be a chance for her to 
see Oakland and learn how to make visits.” 

“I see no reason why you should refuse to have a visit with 
May,” said Laura. “You and her used to get along together. 1 
know you’ll be safe with Lucy. You’re always wanting to go some 
place, and now is your chance. So you can go and dress now and 
I’ll o e t the clothes ready you need to take with you and you’ve no 

time to lose.” 


links op mystery and their unveiling. 


151 


“Is Nellie going with us, aunt Laura?” said May. 

“Yes,” said Laura, “I’ll take no more excuses from her.” 

“Goody! goody!” said May, “We’ll have a fine, time, Nellie— 

I’ll take you around and show you Oakland! 

To Oakland I went with them, though not of my own choice, 
where we were met and escorted to their home on 14th and Castio 
streets, by G. W. Manuel, who gave me a welcome greeting, act¬ 
ing' as though my arrival had been expected. Their home in Napa, 
I thought, had been a nice one, yet I had no idea of finding their 
new one in Oakland to be so much larger and grander. My alleged 
uncle George never had scolded or was cross to me, with but one 
exception, that I could remember—was when May and I played 
tag and were running through his house, for which he was justi¬ 
fiable; though I was more doubtful and afraid of him than I was 
my said aunt Lucy. Yet uncle George was acting pleased with 
me as a guest, which quieted my nerves and apprehensions some¬ 
what for the time being. May was evidently doing her best as 
an entertainer, and 1 endeavored to put on my best behavior and 


give them no offense. 

After breakfast the morning following our arrival in Oak¬ 
land. Lucy and May ushered me into their parlor where I saw a 
new piano that had been bought for May. How I did wish that I 
owned or could have an opportunity to practice on one like it. 

I admired and" praised the piano with true admiration, saying. 

“What a good father and mother you have, May, to buy such 
a nice piano and so many nice things for you! ’ 

Lucy smiled and looked pleased. 

I inquired: “May, have you learned to play the piano yet. 

Lucy answered for her: “You know, Nellie, that May can¬ 
not learn a tune and has no natural gift for music; though May’s 
teacher says she is good in imitation, and May can learn to play 
the piano no other way, only by study of notes and counting time. 
We have procured the best music teacher we can get to teach her, 
who encourages her to continue. May has not practiced long 
enough to play more than a few exercises and a little song that 
she has practiced, in hopes that she could play it well enough for 
y ou to sing by, that is entitled: ‘My Nellie’s Sleeping in the 

Hazel Dell.’ ” 

“Please play the exercises and the song first, said i, 


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piano music will be a treat to me—I can listen to my own sing¬ 
ing- some other time.” 

May seated herself at the piano, played several exercises and 
the song. Though she played like a biginner with irregular time, 
I thought she had done well to accomplish what she had, consider¬ 
ing how she had to learn, complimented her success thus far and 
encouraged her to continue. 

“Now, Nellie, I would like to hear you sing the song for me,” 
said May. 

“Yes, do sing the song for May,” said Lucy. “We would 
like to hear you sing it.” 

To sing the song with May’s time and discordant notes, I 
foresaw from the first, would be difficult; yet I tried—a pause— 
Lucy scolded May for not keeping better time—May giving me 
beseeching glances. 

“May is doing well, but it requires practice to play while 
any one is singing, and May has not had this kind of practice,” 
said I. 

The title of this song, what I had heard Lucy say about both 
myself and singing, when I listened under the “old house” to her 
secret interview with Laura, came to mind. 

At their request, for peace and safety, to give them no offense, 
I replied: 

“If it is any pleasure for either of you to hear me sing the 
song, we will try again.” 

“May has practiced the song in hopes she could play while 
you sang it, and she will be disappointed if you don’t sing it,” 
said Lucy. “Try and sing at least one verse.” 

We began the second time—my eyes filled with tears—a 
pause. 

“Why, what is the matter, Nellie?” both May and Lucy in¬ 
quired. 

“The song is too sad—I cannot sing it,” I replied. 

“I didn’t know you were so sensitive, Nellie,” said Lucy. 
“You and May had better go out for a walk, and that will make 
you feel better.” 

This was the last any of them asked me to sing for them, 
and after some meditation, as not one of this family had ever 
heard me sing that I could remember or was aware of, I thought 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


153 


perhaps it might have been good fortune on my part, that I could 
not sing the song for them. I did not neglect to encourage May 
to play for me at every favorable opportunity during this visit, 
that seemed to please both Lucy and May. May’s father and 
brother, I had noticed and remembered, were absent from the 
room during all piano exercises, and neither of them mentioned 
the subject of music or singing in my presence. 

My said uncle George W. Manuel, to my surprise—for sur- 
prisees continued with me—contributed some of his time of two 
days, for the entertainment of May, Walter and myself, acting 
as though it was a pleasure to be our escort, Lucy remaining at 
home. On the first of these occasions, we attended a barbecue 
at some town a short distance from Oakland. The day following 
we went boating on Lake Merritt, between Oakland and Brook¬ 
lyn. On both of these occasions my said uncle George liberally 
supplied us both with fruit and candy on our way to the train. 
We walked, talked, laughed together like friends. At this time I 
would have been glad had- it thus continued. 

My said aunt Lucy also contributed an afternoon as escort 
to May, Walter and myself, where we had a ride on the cars and 
called on a Mrs. Capt. Wines, who with her family at a former 
time had occupied a tenement house on Grant Avenue, in the block 
that was said to belong to my said uncle, G. W. Manuel, neai the 
Steamer Landing, Napa City. Most other days I accompanied 
May, sometimes both May and Walter through streets to get 
views of the city of Oakland. During what proved to be my last 
day of this visit, May, her father and I were alone in a room 
having a sociable time to ourselves, when my said uncle inquired: 

“Nellie, can you dance?” 

“Some girls taught me the steps of several round dances, 
said I. 

“I wonder if I could learn to dance?” said George, smiling. 

“Will you show me the step, Nellie?” 

“Would you like to learn to dance, uncle George?” said I. 

“Yes, I would like to learn,” said George, “I guess Til be 
pretty clumsy as a beginner, but show me the step and I 11 ti\. 

“The waltz is my favorite,” said I. 

“Then teach me the waltz step,” said George, while May sat 
laughing—our only spectator. While thus engaged, our jollifi- 


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cation was interrupted and brought to an end, by hearing Lucy 
call. We opened the door and saw her standing in a doorway 
opposite the hall. The expression of her face was like one disap¬ 
pointed or troubled, that apparently her husband felt and under¬ 
stood, causing his cheerfulness to vanish and the old haunted 
expression that I had formerly observed prior to this visit, to 
return to his face; that caused a gloom on all present; though 
May and I never mentioned the fact to each other. 

Lucy announced: “George, I have a letter to read to you,” 
and they both entered the room, closed the door, leaving May and 
I alone. 

“Nellie, let us go to my room,” said May. 

We had not been there more than twenty minutes when Lucy 
came and asked me to step into the hail, where we were alone. 
“Nellie,” she said, “I got a letter from Laura. I will show you 
what she wrote about you.” Then she was careful to fold the letter 
so that I could read only the sentences: “Send Nellie home. She 
has been with you long enough. Laura.” 

Though every member of this family continued to treat me 
as a guest, the gloom remained, and the following morning Lucy 
—Lucy alone—escorted me to the depot at Oakland, purchased a 
ticket and saw me away on the train for Napa City. 

Laura could smile, look cross, look pleased, look anxious, 
worried, laugh as other people do and sometimes smile with the 
expression of a friend; she could talk friendly, put herself to 
some expense and extra work to favor people when she needed 
their influence and help for protection or to carry out some 
scheme she might have in view—like many other people do; she 
was like a natural mother with her own children and relatives 
for one of her kind and disposition; to see to it that they were 
protected and provided for, though I never knew her to be af¬ 
fectionate with any one; to feed a hungry man who called at her 
home for something to eat, was against her principles. “Go and 
work for your living,” she would say, “I don’t propose to feed 
any of your kind.” She would not act or appear as glad to meet 
me as she would a passive acquaintance, and I was so accustomed 
to this kind of behavior from her, there being no affection between 
us, that I did not generally notice or think about it as others 
would. 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING 


155 


On my arrival in Napa City from Oakland, I found no one 
at the depot to meet me. I did look for Carrie or Belle Colburn 
to be there—I had met and welcomed them. I felt disappointed 
and friendless as I walked home alone from the depot. On en¬ 
tering the house, I found Laura alone in the dining room, who had 
a dejected and disappointed expression to her face that seemed to 
say: How sorry I am to see you again! Remaining seated in her 

chair, her only greeting was: 

“Well—I see you’ve got back;” as though it distressed her. 

With no reply, I faced about, left the room and went up 
stairs, through the rooms, looked out the windows, in search of 
some other member of the family, and not one, excepting Lain a, 
was to be found in the house or seen on the premises. I wished 
then, as I had many times before, that I had seen Laui a foi the 
last time. When all members of the family did put m their 
appearance in the house, they, too, were more silent and gloomy 
appearing than I had left them—like people distressed with 
some secret they were concealing from me; though I could obtain 
no information from them about what had happened or taken 
place during my absence, to account for this sudden gloom on them 

all. 

MY FIRST ACQUAINTANCE WITH CARRIE AND BELLE 

COLBURN. 


I found that neither Carrie or Belle Colburn were persons 
desirous of accomplishments in book learning. Neither of them 
were musicians, and Belle, like her father, could not learn to 
hum a tune of any kind; yet both girls could read, spell and 
write—though poorly, when they came to us; that was evidence 
they had had some schooling, and both of them were in need of 
new and better clothing; also a true mother’s instructions and 
corrections. Laura spent several weeks of her time and she spent 
her own money, buying and making them clothes to have them 
appear neat and presentable to the neighbors; also to prepare 
Belle to attend the “Napa Young Ladies Seminary; for Mr. 
Colburn said he would like to make a lady of her; that Belle was 
to be my companion, giving strict orders that she accompany me 
to and from school, which pleased Belle, to which she readily 
consented. Being grades higher in my classes than Belle, we 


156 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


occupied seats in separate buildings, and, therefore, seldom met 
from the time we entered the school yard in the morning until 
we were ready to walk home together from school. I am pleased 
to announce, we never had any angry words towards each other 
at, or on our way to and from school. Belle, I soon learned, was 
not up to the average of girls I knew then in reason and intelli¬ 
gence, became a willing and diligent reporter to Laura and her 
father; her memory being too short and her observation too in¬ 
correct to often turn in correct reports. Both Laura and her 
father favored her to some extent for awhile, as appeared, for 
being so diligent a reporter for them; this was not all—for awhile 
she would repeat most anything to Laura’s interest that she could 
remember long enough, whether true or false, regardless of any 
injury she might do to both Carrie and myself. For these reasons, 
she was not a desirable companion, or always safe company for 
either of us. 

When vacation came, I talked Belle into persuading her 
father to give consent to our working in some dressmaking es¬ 
tablishment, so that we could make our own dresses. Laura was 
willing that Belle should learn, but of course was unwilling that 
I should have the same chance which angered Mr. Colburn, who 
insisted on my being allowed to find a place to learn dressmak¬ 
ing, overruling in this particular. Mr. Colburn procured his 
daughter Belle a place as apprentice in a dressmaking establish¬ 
ment. Twice, formerly, I succeeded in talking Laura into giving 
her consent to my serving as an apprentice in millinery stores, 
which resulted in—well, I did remain with a Mrs. W. R. Brown 
several weeks; was a helper to a Mrs. Frost several days, both of 
Napa City. I heard no complaints of my conduct or work. Laura 
got me discharged from both places. Belle Colburn and I had 
been employed at least six weeks at dressmaking, when we, ac¬ 
companied by Carrie Colburn and Emma Ritchie, attended a 
Fourth of July picnic at locust grove, where I indulged in danc¬ 
ing, which the girls promised to keep a secret from Laura. 
Neither Belle or Carrie Colburn could dance. A few days after 
the picnic, Laura apprised me that she had met and talked with 
the dressmaker, my employer: 

“She told me that to her fancy, you was the cutest little dancer 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


157 


she saw at the picnic,” said Laura. “Where and how did you learn 
to dance?” 

“Different girls taught me the steps, and we practiced at the 
picnics; though I have not had practice enough to be a nice 
dancer,” I responded. 

“Well,” said Laura, “I’ve come to the conclusion that you 
are too apt and gay for one of your age; that the ‘Seminary’ will 
be the best place for you; so you and Belle will have to quit your 
places of dressmaking and get ready to go back to school. Belle 
said she was glad of an excuse to quit her job, and I could not 
persuade Laura to permit me to resume my place. Thus ter¬ 
minated our apprenticeship at dressmaking in Napa City. 

Belle Colburn and I had begun our second term of schooling 
together at the ‘Seminary’ when a teacher with whom I was 
friendly, privately notified me that she had found Belle Colburn 
crying the day previous, who complained and informed her to the 
sum and effect, as related by the teacher, which sounded so much 
like some of Belle’s complaints, that I have no doubts Laura had 
instructed Belle to relate some, if not all of the same to her in¬ 
terest, to make it appear that she was like a natural mother, so 
far as I was concerned: 

BELLE COLBURN’S COMPLAINT TO THE TEACHER. 

“Nellie Manuel is my step-sister; her mother is my step¬ 
mother. Nellie is ahead of me in her classes and can dance, just 
because her mother has given her better advantages than I’ve had. 
Her mother praises her up and this makes Nellie feel herself 
above me. Neither father or Nellie’s mother will send me to 
dancing school so that I can learn to dance and be like Nellie, and 
Nellie’s mother makes me do more house work at home than she 
does Nellie. Now my sister Carrie likes Nellie for company 
better than she does me, and father promised me I could be 
Nellie’s companion, and not my sister Carrie. Nellie’s brothers 
think everything Nellie does and says is right, and are impudent 
and saucy and threaten to fight me every time I do and say any¬ 
thing Nellie don’t like; just because she is the pet at home and 
thev are Nellie’s own brothers and Nellie’s mother is my step- 


158 LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 

mother. I am a stranger in California, am lonesome and home¬ 
sick. I feel so bad I can’t help crying when I think of it all.” 

“I am the one who is most deserving of sympathy, for being 
compelled to reside in the same house with one like Belle Col¬ 
burn,” was my complaint to the teacher. 

The teacher laughed and advised me to the effect: “Try and 
make the best of your unpleasant surroundings. Avoid all un¬ 
pleasantness and trouble with Belle possible. I will have another 
talk with Belle, will use my influence to persuade her from 
giving you any unnecessary annoyance. 

WAS POISON PLACED IN MY FOOD AT THE BREAK¬ 
FAST TABLE? 

To avoid trouble and wrangling, Belle Colburn’s complaint to 
the teacher, I did not mention, acting as though all was satisfactory 
between us. To the best of my memory, six weeks had not 
elapsed after the same complaint, when one morning immediately 
after entering the school room, I was suddenly seized with a chill, 
cramps, turned deathly white, like one about to die; when I was 
almost carried from the school room and placed in a private room 
Several of the teachers were present who sent for the same teachet 
who had reported Belle Colburn’s private complaint to me. Be¬ 
ing a student of medicine, she was called in to give her opinion as 
to the cause of my sudden illness and what was best to do for the 
time being. An ordinary water glass partly filled with brandy and 
water mixed was immediately brought, which I drank. Finding 
this to relieve my cramps somewhat, I plead for a glassful of 
brandy and less water; then another, which I drank, to the amaze¬ 
ment of the teachers. One teacher suggested to send for my 
mother. 

“No, please don’t,” I replied, “to see her ,would make me feel 
worse;” too ill to consider before I spoke how such a remark 
would sound. 

“We must not let you die here, if we can prevent it,” said 
one, “and will send for a physician if you do not improve im¬ 
mediately.” 

“Is it not strange, that she can drink such a quantity of brandy 
without being intoxicated? said another, to which the medical 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


159 


teacher gave signs, as I understood, to say no more on the subject 
in my presence. 

“The cramps are all gone,” I notified them, “Do not worry 
any more about me—I feel much better, and think I will be all 
right, if I can have a little sleep.” 

After placing warm appliances to my feet, they withdrew 
from the room. I was entirely ignorant as to the effects of 
poison then, had no suspicion that I had been poisoned. I might 
have been asleep more or less than half an hour, when I awoke, 
thinking myself to be past danger and as able to go home as ever. 
Putting on my shoes—they being my only clothing that had been 
removed—I walked out of the room insensible to pain or weak¬ 
ness—if I had any, requested a pupil I met, to give my thanks 
to the teachers, and to tell them for me, that I was feeling better 
and had gone home. However, this proved to be my last school 
day in Napa City, or to have air opportunity to converse with any 
of the same teachers. As I neared home,, my cramps returned, 
and when I opened the kitchen door, Laura stood theie and caught 
me in her arms, as I was falling from pain and weakness. Placing 
me in a chair, she felt of my hands and face: 

“You look like a dead person, and are as white and cold as 

one,” she said. 

Then she hurriedly brought a cup of thick cream, that she 
held to my mouth and insisted on my drinking, which caused 
my cramps to cease a few minutes after I had drank. 1 hen she 
asked me to tell her all the particulars of my illness and all that 
was said and done for me at school in regards to the same, most 
of which I related to her; though Belle’s complaint to the teacher 
I kept a secret, thinking Laura to be the cause of it. 

“Well, this will end your schooling for a while at least,” said 
Laura. “You are not able to go to school and must have more 
out-of-doors exercise and fresh air. \ou can go fishing ana take 
walks with Carrie and the boys down the river for a while, till you 

get better.” 

Belle Colburn was out of her natural element at the Semi¬ 
nary,” and when she found that Laura refused my continuation at 

school, she refused to go to school saying: 

‘T don’t think it’s fair at all, to allow Nellie to stay home and 
go with Carrie and the boys having a good time without me.” 


160 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


“You don’t have to go to school if you don’t want to,” war, 
Laura’s response to her complaint, and Belle’s school days in 
Napa City were also ended. 

Carrie Colburn did not attend school after she came to us. 
“Give me plenty to eat, enough, clothes to wear, a good time, and 
I’ll be satisfied,” was one of Carrie’s sayings. 

Carrie Colburn was one who possessed some wit, could enjoy 
jokes and laugh at the ridiculous, was disposed to look at the 
comic side of persons and affairs—if there was any, was more 
intelligent and better natured than her sister Belle. She was the 
cause of my having more freedom, more company, and cheered 
my lonely life and surroundings to such an extent while with us, 
that I viewed the day Carrie came to our home with gladness and 
thankfulness, whatever she might have been or was in later years 
towards me secretly. Laura was a watchful and suspicious person 
—that was not strange nor unreasonable for any person en¬ 
gaged in schemes of conspiracy, and appeared to have taken a 
dislike to Carrie on account of her jollity and preference to my 
company to all other members of the family, and encouraged 
Belle to keep a close lookout for us and report to her all our do¬ 
ings and sayings, that Belle could hear or find out. When in our 
company, Louis and Augustus were considerable protection to us 
against Belle’s reports to Laura, for they disliked their step 
sister Belle, as she did them. If the boys attended school at any 
time in Napa, I did not know of it. Louis said he hated to go to 
school, and Augustus represented to me that he was so constituted 
as to be unable to apply his mind to book-learning, and had, there¬ 
fore, been excused from going to school; though he was the only 
one who gave me this information. All members of our family 
addressed Belle Colburn as Belle, excepting Carrie, who ad¬ 
dressed and spoke of her sister as Annabelle. We were a speci¬ 
men-like family, Laura and Mr. Colburn inclusive. There was a 
comic side of us collection when viewed and taken into considera¬ 
tion, as well as the scheming, aggravating, treacherous and myster¬ 
ious; both Carrie and I finding it quite necessary to be cautious 
about letting our private laughs and criticisms of our specimen¬ 
like collection be known aside from ourselves. 

When our school days at the “Seminary” were terminated, 
Laura ordered us to take daily walks, and we sometimes went 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


161 


fishing, when we all had enjoyable times together, after Annabelle 
had several heated debates and some violence with Louis and 
Augustus and became initiated into our style of enjoyment with¬ 
out troublesome reports to Laura on these occasions. 


SKETCH 30. 

AN APPARITION APPEARED AT THE NAPA CEME¬ 
TERY. 

Carrie and I liked to slip away from Belle and the boys 
sometimes, to have walks, talks and laughs without witnesses; 
yet our strolling off alone had been opposed thus far by Laura 
and Carrie’s father, until one morning during the first part of 
1875, when only three of us were in the house or on the premises, 
that I knew of. 

“Nell, Pm tired of walks to the river and would like to have 
some change of scenery. I have never been to the Napa graveyard 
and would like to see what it looks like. Annabelle and the boys 
are away from home—now is our chance. What do you say to 
our taking a walk to the graveyard this morning and having a 
time to ourselves?” 

“I would like it,” said I, “but the question is: Will Laura 
give her consent?” 

“I will ask her now,” said Carrie. 

Laura came to the room. “Yes,” she said, “it is a nice morning, 
and a walk to the graveyard will be good exercise for you and 
Carrie.” 

We were soon on our way to the Napa Cemetery, that was 
located on foot hills that were for the most part of rock, at an 
edge of the Napa valley, that was said to be three and one-half 
miles distance from the town of Napa. We had passed through 
the settlement called Spanish Town, on the county road, where 
we thought our voices could not be heard by any human form. 
The morning was a pleasant one; the country air seemed fragrant 
and invigorating; the thought and relief of feeling free for a 
while, apparently had given us new life. 

“Nell,” said Carrie, “let us give several shouts for joy. I feel 
like I’ve just stepped out of hell into heaven, to be free from that 


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crane at home for a while and inhale this invigorating- country 

o o 

air.” 

We shouted and laughed aloud for a short space of time, 
wondering what people in town would think, could they hear 
the noise we found we were capable of. We were young, by nature 
healthy; neither of us, apparently, had given any thought or 
consideration to the solemnity of the place we were approaching, 
or the danger there—I know I had not. Neither then had the 
least thought occurred to my mind that the body of some mur¬ 
dered relative of mine might be buried there. This cemetery of 
Napa was a lonely, wild-looking place, away from living habita¬ 
tions—a dangerous place to be found alone by criminals; yet I had 
not thought of being afraid, and Carrie certainly showed no indi¬ 
cations of it. 

We opened the iron gate to the cemetery yard, that was at 
a side of the county road. We followed the nearest roadway to 
where the graves were, that was of a winding, steep rise, that led 
us to a lone liveoak tree, at an edge of a perpendicular bluff, a 
few feet from the narrow driveway on which we stood. We were 
on the open, in plain view from the direction of the valley; were 
near the space of twenty feet from the line of the tombs and 
graves that were, with the exception of one tomb, concealed from 
our view by a thicket of trees and shrubbery intersperced 
among them. Here was an excellent view of Napa City and 
Valley; also a view of the bay of San Francisco in the distance, 
from which direction came a refreshing breeze; a pleasant place 
to rest from our walk, before entering the thicket to the graves. 
Here we seated ourselves under the lone, liveoak tree; Carrie with 
her back towards the Bay, and I with my back a few feet from an 
edge of the narrow driveway, facing the Bay and \iewing the 
scenery. We sat conversing cheerfully, until I saw Carrie's head 
suddenly droop, her eyes turn to her lap. Though her face was 
dark, her hair and eyes black, the pallor that had everspred her 
face, made it several shades lighter; like one about to swoon; from 
which I readily understood that she had been seized with some 
sudden fright, injury or illness. Before I could think to inquire 
into the cause, Carrie placed her hand on my lap, gasped in a low 
voice without raising her eyes: 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


163 


‘‘Nell, there’s a man standing behind you in the road—what 
can we do?” 

After Carrie’s first sight of what she told me was a man, I 
understood from her appearance, that she could not, or was afraid 
to raise her eyes, to take a second view of the object of her 
fright; then she whispered: “He is close behind you, Nell.” 

Thoughts flashed through my mind to the effect: That we 
had made a mistake by coming to so out-of-a-way place alone 
and I attempted to turn my head to see the object of Carrie’s 
fright, when I found my neck to be stiff and difficult to turn, 
like it was being held by some power of the air. With all the 
strength I had, it seemed, I succeeded in turning my neck 
far enough towards a backward direction, to catch a glimpse that 
was instantaneous, of the appearance of a human form, that 
vanished from my glimpse. A silent voice then came, not audible 
to the outward sound of ears, accompanied by a shock of fear, 
impressing my mind instantly, from which I understood what 
would be in words, to the sum and effect: 

“You are in serious danger—make haste to escape from this 
graveyard to town—you must hurry to escape—lest you be too 
late.” 

Though dreadfully frightened, I could speak, and found 
myself to be active and possessed of more strength, I thought, 
than usual. 

Rising quickly to my feet—“Wake up, Carrie,” I said, “now is 
our only chance to escape from this graveyard. If you don’t 
hurry, we may not live to get out.” 

I caught hold of her hands and pulled her to her feet. 

“Oh, Nell! Did you see that man? How could he get out 
of sight so quick? There’s no place here where he could hide 
in the length of time he disappeared. I’m so weak from fright 
I can hardly stand.” . 

“I know what I’m talking about Carrie—Do as I tell you and 
you’ll be safe,” I demanded, “or I’ll run away and leave you here 
to be killed.” Grabbing hold of her arm, I again demanded: 
“Now we must run with all our might, to get out of this graveyard 
alive—do you hear? Hurry! run Carrie! Don’t be foolish losing 
time trying to look back! Now or never!” I kept saying while 
urging and pulling her along by the hand on a down-hill pull— 


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through the iron gate, and to the base of the hill; where the 
ground was level the rest of our way to town. I continued with 
her in this manner without any unnecessary pause to walk or to 
take more breath, until we had covered near half the distance to 
town, when Carrie declared she could neither run nor walk any 
longer without a little rest. 

“Now keep your face towards town, while I look in the 
direction of the graveyard to see if any one is in sight. I can see 
no person in any direction,” I told her, “though some one or more 
might overtake us in a carriage; so we must make the best of 
our time until we reach a safer place than this; and we must not 
talk on the subject of our fright until we reach town, for it will 
weaken us and hinder us from gaining time.” 

Arriving in town safely, I said: “Now, Carrie, I would like 
to hear all you know about the man you saw in the graveyard who 
stood in the road behind me.” 

Carrie’s explanation: “I was listening to you talk, Nell, and 
looked towards the road, where I saw a man standing behind you. 
There was something about his sudden and unexpected appear¬ 
ance there that gave me an awful scare. I never saw him or heard 
a sound of his footsteps until I looked towards the road and told 
you a man was standing behind you in the road. How he could 
get there without my seeing or hearing him, was a mystery to me. 
My first look at him gave me such a deathly fear I was afraid to 
take a second look at him for fear I would faint. When my eyes 
were turned down I could glance at his feet. He took several 
steps towards you after my first sight of him, then I was afraid 
he would kill you, and then kill me. When you turned your face 
to look at him his feet disappeared. When you told me the man 
was gone, I was feeling like I was going to die right there; yet 
I could not scream or speak aloud, not if our lives depended on it. 
All the life, strength and courage I had was about gone. I believe 
I would have died right there, if you had not spoken to me. The 
sound of your voice, and when you told me the man was gone, 
gave me some encouragement, and when you took my hands and 
helped me to stand up, I saw that the man was gone. I looked 
around, could not see him anywhere, and wondered where he could 
have disappeared in so short a time, where there was no place 
that I could see to hide. This is a mystery to me, as well as who 


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he was, why he came there and disappeared so suddenly. Now tell 
me, Nell, how you knew the man was gone, how you had the 
nerve to do and say what you did; for I never was so near fright¬ 
ened to death in my life.” 

I was afraid that Carrie might think strange of me, should I 
attempt to explain to her full particulars of my warning and in¬ 
fluence from the apparition, and therefore explained to her in a 

manner as follows: 

“Carrie, several years ago, I heard people talking about 
robbers who had a secret place of concealment in the graveyard, 
who were captured. When you told me a man stood in the road 
back of me, the robbers came to my mind; that there might be 
others prowling around this vicinity, and how thoughtless and 
imprudent I had been to encourage you to come to an out-of-a- 
way place like this graveyard is, alone by ourselves. I was dread¬ 
fully frightened, turned my head to.see the object of your fright, 
when I saw it vanish instantly. I then understood that what you 
thought to be a man, was some kind of a ghost or spirit, and not 
one of bones and flesh, like us. Understanding it to be a warn¬ 
ing, I thought there would be a chance for our escape from danger, 
whatever it might be. This warning came to me, as I understood, 
from the ghost or spirit we saw, that you thought was a man with 
bones and flesh. I think it will be better for us, not to shock and 
excite Laura by letting her know about our fright and the ghost 
or spirit we saw in the graveyard today.” Carrie said she would 
not mention it so that Laura would hear of it. 

SKETCH 31. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

Accompanied by Emma Ritchie, Carrie and Belle Colburn, 
I attended a picnic and celebration at the locust grove of Napa, 
Fourth of July, 1874, where Emma Ritchie gave me my first 

introduction to a Mr. Lewellen P. Smith. # 

Accompanied by the same three girls of the foregoing 1 
attended a festival at Napa, December, 1874, that was held m the 
same building in which my said uncle, G. W. Manuel (one of the 
four) and a Mr. Ellis, of Napa, were formerly said to be partners 
in the warehouse business. It was here, that Mr. Lewellen P. 

( 6 ) 


166 LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 

Smith gave me my first introduction to his brother, Mr. A. A. 
Smith, of Calistoga, Napa County, California. 

When springtime of 1875 came, Mr. Colburn was in favor of 
us girls attending Church, which Laura at first opposed, but 
later consented to, by Mr. Colburn’s arguments and persuasions; 
though Laura was always particular to inquire what church we 
were going to attend, and which church we had attended; for we 
attended several denominations. 

Mr. L. P. Smith was the first gentleman Laura would give 
permit to us girls to entertain as company at home, or to be our 
escort. The first of his calls was a Sunday afternoon, a short 
time prior to the Fourth of July of 1875. 

A Fourth of July celebration of 1875 was held in the Court 
Flouse Square of Napa City, which we girls attended. We there 
met Mr. L. P. Smith and his brother A. A. Smith. There were not 
seats for all, and our Third Street house across from the Square, 
at the time being unoccupied, we girls accompanied by Mr. A. A. 
Smith, seated ourselves on the front steps, where we could get 
a clear view of people in the Square. This was my first to be 
inside of our Third Street yard since the night that Laura with 
Augustus and myself deserted the same house and her ruffian 
husband Dave (one of the four), in the autumn of 1867. In the 
springtime of the same year, George (my eldest said brother), 
gave me a slip of a willow tree, which I planted in the yard at the 
back of this house, that was now grown to be a tree of more than 
ordinary size, of its kind. Accompanied by Mr. Smith, I went 
to look at the tree that I had planted when a child, leaving the 
girls seated on the front steps. We had only been there a few 
minutes, when, to our surprise and humiliation, there appeared by 
us the ruffian Dave, who was Laura’s former husband and my 
said father. Fie objected to and threatened Mr. Smith, for being 
in my company, in profane language that filled the air about us. 
I did not speak to him, and succeeded in accompanying Mr. Smith 
to the Square, without his being assaulted by the ruffian. The 
girls had disappeared from the porch, and were not to be seen by 
us for the time being. We found Mr. L. P. Smith seated in the 
Square, to whom we gave a very brief account of our encounter 
with the ruffian, who was very much offended over the affair. 
Offering me his seat, the brothers walked away together. They 


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167 


returned in an hour or so, with whom I had private interview, 
to whom I gave such explanations of the ruffian as I thought pru¬ 
dent and safe, for one of my surroundings, which explanation 
appeared to be satisfactory to the Smith brothers. The girls came, 
and the remainder of our day passed in peace and some festivities. 

Mr. L. P. Smith called a Sunday afternoon, a short time after 
Fourth of July, 1875; Emma Ritchie was with us at the time. The 
conversation turned to fruit, orchards and places of interest down 
the river. Mr. Smith was cheerful and interesting company; said 
he thought he could enjoy a walk down the river where fruit could 
be found. We notified him there would be several sideboard 
fences to climb, to and from the orchard. 

“Can you climb fences, Mr. Smith?” was my inquiry. 

“Yes,” said Mr. Smith, “more than that—I am able to help all 
the rest of you over.” 

“Well,” said Carrie, “if you feel as stout as that, I guess it 
will be safe to take the trip. It looks as though four of us girls 
ought to be able to take care of you.” 

“The sooner we start, the longer time we can have in the 

orchard,” said Emma. 

“Good! Get on your hats, and we will be off,” said Mr. 
Smith. 

When we came to the first fence to climb, Mr. Smith started 
to help every one of us over, when, after some deliberation, we 
decided that he was exerting himself too much, and we would 
take turns about to help Mr. Smith over fences; that we found 
to be no small amusement. At our first attempt, he laid down on 
the ground, weak from laughter. We reached our destination, 
ate fruit, had a sociable time and rest; then reclimbed the side¬ 
board fences and seated ourselves on the steps of a building near 
the river, across the street from Jack’s place. It was under¬ 
stood by us that Mr. Smith was passing away with consumption, 
and could not continue with us long; though it was our endeavor 
to cheer and conceal these fears from him. After a rest on the 
steps, he favored us with a song, that was new to us then, entitled: 
“Silver Threads Among the Gold.” As he sang this song foi us 
in a soft, pretty voice, our sympathies were much aroused; and to 
hear this’ song after his decease, was to recall sad memories of the 
loss of our cheerful companion, Mr. L. P. Smith. We all arrived 


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at home safely, Mr. Smith declaring he never did have a more 
enjoyable time, than on this occasion. 

Mr. Colburn and Laura appeared to have taken a liking to 
Mr. L. P. Smith, and when the latter asked Laura if she had any 
objections to his brother accompanying him during his next call, 
both Laura and Mr. Colburn consented. The said Smith brothers 
came several times Sunday afternoons; when it was arranged by ’ 
Mr. L. P. Smith, that his brother Mr. A. A. Smith, was to be my 
escort, and himself the escort of Carrie and Belle Colburn, during 
pleasure walks, which arrangement Mr. A. A. Smith represented, 
was entirely satisfactory to him. Mr. A. A. Smith also informed 
me that he had been notified to the effect, that D. A. Manuel (the 
ruffian and my said father, one of the four) was opposed to his 
being in my company; that D. A. Manuel was treacherous and 
dangerous; that he found it to be necessary, therefore, to carry a 
revolver for his protection. 

Mr. L. P. Smith’s health was failing rapidly, so that Carrie 
and Belle could no more depend on his being their escort. Think¬ 
ing it would be better and safer for Carrie and Belle to have 
escorts during our walks, I knew of brothers, both of respectable 
reputation in Napa, with whom I was somewhat acquainted; 
though Laura was very much opposed to either of them being my 
company, as she was all other men, excepting the Smith brothers 
—she might have been secretly opposed to them; yet she pre¬ 
tended to have no objections to either of them being my com¬ 
pany and escort. One Sunday morning, Laura as usual, inquired: 
“What church are you girls going to today?” 

Carrie replied: “Nell, what will be our church today?” 

“Your choice,” said I. 

“I like the Methodist; the good old Methodist tunes are in¬ 
vigorating,” said Carrie. 

On our way, I proposed that we go to the Christian Church, 
which Carrie and Belle had not yet attended. 

“What is the attraction there?” said Carrie. 

“Two young gentlemen, whose reputations in town are ex¬ 
cellent. They are regular attendants of that church,” said I. 

“Who are these young gentlemen with excellent reputations?” 
both Carrie and Belle inquired. 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


169 


“I thought, perhaps, they might make agreeable escorts for 
you and Belle. They are the Deweese brothers,” said I. 

“Well, if that’s the case, to the Christian church we will go; 
but I warn you—if you fail to produce them, and I find you are 
fooling us, I’ll get even on you, by notifying Mr. Smith that you 
have other attractions, besides him,” said Carrie. 

When we were seated in the Christian church, the Messrs. 
Deweese were there, who did not appear displeased, I thought, at 
our presence. When the services were concluded, I introduced the 
Misses Colburn and the Messrs. Deweese. After some conversa¬ 
tion, it was agreed to and decided the Messrs. Deweese were to 
call at our home in the evening to be company for the Misses 
Colburn. On our way home, I warned the girls to first notify their 
father and get his sanction and approval of the Deweese brothers 
as callers, then to break the news gently to Laura, that there be no 
eruption in the house when they came. 

“I don’t see why Carrie and I haven’t just as good a right to 
have gentlemen company as you,” said Belle. 

“Probably you have,” said I, “and I am doing all Lean to help 
you out; but that is not the difficulty. The question is, to get 
along with Laura.” 

“I’ll promise you there’ll be a row if she makes any fuss 
about my having company,” said Belle, “I think Laura is about 

the meanest person I ever knew.” 

Mr. Colburn said he had no objection to the Deweese brothers 
being company for his daughters, to which Laura neither ex¬ 
pressed her approval or disapproval; yet the red canu and went 
from her cheeks like one agitated at the news. However, Messrs. 
Will and Ben Deweese came; also Mr. A. A. Smith came the same 
evening and we composed an agreeable party of six; which party 
continued for some months on Sunday evenings when the weather 

was favorable. 

GENEVA COLBURN’S BIRTH. 

It was during the autumn of 1875 when Laura’s only daughter, 
Geneva Colburn, was born. The day preceding her birth, I was 
sent to the Ritchie home, while Carrie, Belle and other members* 
of the family remained at home. Laura was said to be in danger, 
and her eldest said son, George S. Manuel, her trusted one of the 


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family as it appeared, in times of danger and business affairs, 
was telegraphed for to come as soon as possible to his mother’s 
bedside. I was ordered to remain at the Ritchie home until Laura 
was thought to be past all danger; then I was sent for and ushered 
into her presence, when I greeted her pleasantly, praised and ad¬ 
mired her infant, which caused her face to take on a more cheer¬ 
ful and hopeful expression. I then met George, looking anxious 
and troubled, whom I had not seen since his departure on the 
train for Oakland, in the latter part of 1874; for I neither saw 
George nor heard his name mentioned during my visit with G. W. 
Manuel and family in Oakland. The same afternoon that I was 
ushered into Laura’s presence and met George, he requested me to 
accompany him on the streets to the business part of town; that 
was the first time I can remember of having been on the 
street with George in the business part of town since a child. It 
was not unreasonable therefore, that I thought strange of it, and 
was on my guard. George neither treated me to any kind of a 
drink or eatable, and had no motive for requesting my company 
on this occasion that w r as apparent, more than to find out how much 
I had heard about family affairs in general, to which I feigned 
ignorance, only in such matters as was openly known and talked 
of in my presence in the family and near vicinity of our residence, 
when I observed that George had a somewhat puzzled expression 
and manner. The same evening, George bade us good-bye, saying 
he would be off on the train for Oakland. This proved to be my 
last to see or hear from George S., for not less than a year and a 
half. 

Geneva was Laura’s natural daughter, and from all appearan¬ 
ces, was her first and last; for Laura was so pleased and natural 
with her, that she forgot for the time being to carry out some of 
her farce as a natural mother to me, being so all absorbed in her 
new born treasure. Some of Laura’s most intimate acquaintances 
wondered and spoke of it. 

It appeared, or was made to appear, that something had been 
said or done by the Colburn girls and their father during my 
absence from home at the time of Geneva’s birth, that was the cause 
of Laura taking more of a dislike to the Colburn girls than pre¬ 
vious. It was six weeks or more after Geneva’s birth when Laura 
announced to me privately: 


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171 


“I will not spend money buying Carrie and Belle clothes 
any more. They can live at home; but they will be obliged from 
now on to earn the money to buy the material for their clothes, 
make them, or hire them made.” 

“For what reason?” I inquired. 

“I heard some of their talk to their father the night Geneva 
wa shorn, that came very near causing my death, and neither one of 
them may expect very much from me from now on.” 

This was the only explanation given me of the affair, and I 
wondered what Carrie or Belle had said or done, to cause Laura 
to turn against them, after having done more for both of them 
than she had for me, during the time they had been with us, and 
which both of them had mentioned and reminded me of, to the 
effect: That Laura was even more like a mother to them, than 
she was to me; though a very mean step-mother, at best. Carrie 
and Bellle procured situations at housework to earn money to buy 
material for their other clothing, which Laura cut out and in¬ 
structed them to make at home, doing any necessary work on them 
that the girls could not do. During this time Laura was an en¬ 
thusiast in the selection of goods, lace and embroidery trimmings, 
for which she spent money very freely to make garments as pretty 
as she knew how with the suggestions and aid of Mrs. Ritchie 

and Emma, for her new treasure, Geneva. 

A favorite and continuous saying of Laura was: Gene\ a 

was born with a gold spoon in her mouth and will never be in neeo 

•while she lives.” 

Belle Colburn inquired of me: “Nell, why don t you earn 
money and buy you some new clothes? It don’t look like Laura 
intends to buy you any; all she cares about now is to spend all 
her time and money on Geneva and tell about the gold spoon in 
her mouth; and I don’t see why you are any better to work and 
earn money to buy your clothes than Carrie and me. People say 
Laura is showing partiality by allowing her own daughter to stay 
at home and make her step-daughters go away from home to earn 
money to buy their clothes, and it don’t look right, Nell, now does 

it ?” 

“I would be very glad of the chance,” said I, “and to prove it 
to you will you and Carrie interest yourselves enough to do your 
very best with my efforts to persuade Laura to allow me to find 


172 LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 

employment to earn money for myself, the same as she does you 
girls. For her to give me the same freedom and liberties she 
does you, would please me more than you may have any idea that 
it would.” The girls agreeing to this proposition, we confronted 
Laura with arguments and coaxing, that we found had no more 
influence with her than if we had plead with a brick wall. Laura s 
final answer and announcement to me, was hurled in exclama¬ 
tions : 

“No!” she said, “Your clothes are good enough for you for 
awhile! Ybu take better care of your clothes than Carrie or 
Belle! You couldn’t do enough at housework to earn your hoard! 
I don’t want you to earn any money!” 

“I don’t see why Nell is any better to earn money than Carrie 
and me,” Belle responded. 

“You shut your mouth and mind your own business, or I’ll shut 
it for you!” Laura shouted, that settled our arguments for the 
time being. 

When Carrie and Belle had finished their sewing for the 
present, they began to call and visit at the Ritchie home every day 
and Sundays included. I refused to accompany them to the Rit¬ 
chie home any more, my reasons being to avoid being witness to 
what was said, to avoid having trouble with Laura; for I felt quite 
certain that Belle, at least, would have serious trouble with Laura 
from these too frequent calls and visits; advised and warned the 
girls of it, and for them to be careful about repeating what they 
saw and heard at home; that Laura was particular and very sus¬ 
picious about having what was said and done at home, repeated. 
Neither of them heeded my warning, but daily went to the Ritchie 
house. At this time us girls were generally escorted to some 
church Sunday evenings, when the weather was favorable, by the 
Messrs. Deweese and Mr. Smith. It appeared as though Anna- 
belle was again acting as private reporter to Laura, my reasons 
being as follows: 

On our return home from church Sunday evenings, when we 
bade our escorts good-evening at the gate, Bell rushed into the 
house ahead of us, when Carrie and I would be alone from ten to 
thirty minutes. Then Laura came and notified Carrie in my 
presence that she was wanted in the dining room where her father 
was sitting to have a talk with her; where were also Laura and 


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173 


Belle, from which interviews I was entirely excluded. Two or 
three of these interviews had taken place to my knowledge, yet 
no information could I gain from either Carrie or Belle as to 
what was said. When the third or fourth took place, both of the 
girls met me in our bedroom in a crying, angry, excited mood: 

“What is the trouble?” I inquired. “Do tell me. Maybe 1 
can advise or help you out in some way.” 

“Laura is the meanest woman I ever knew,” said Belle. “She 
don’t do right by us and she don’t do right by you. Father stands 
in with her and is not much better. I don’t know how Carrie and 
me can stand her talk much longer. Tell me the truth, Nell, is 
Laura your mother? I’ve heard some people say they had doubts 
of it, because you don’t look like Laura or anyone of the family; 
and you don’t have ways like any of them.” 

“Shut your mouth! Annabelle,” said Carrie. “You will make 
matters worse by talking about it. Don’t say any more about it, 
Annabelle—there ! now!” 

Angry, excited and crying after another interview with their 
father and step-mother, the girls met me in our bedroom; when I 
tried to persuade Carrie to tell me the cause of their trouble. 
Carrie walked to and fro across the floor wringing her hands like 
one in desperation, repeating in a low voice: 

“Oh—that wretch of a Laura! Oh—how sorry, sorry I am that 
Annabelle and I ever came here, or saw her! Father’s no better!” 

Then Belle announced to Carrie: “Carrie, I’ve just a good 
notion to tell Nell. Laura’s played treacherous with me. She’s 
no friend of ours, and father’s no good either.” 

“Shut your mouth, Annabelle! Don’t you dare to tell her!” 

Carrie demanded. 

“I believe I’d be doing right to tell her,” said Belle. “Nellie, 

if you only knew what Laura is to you!” 

Carrie grabbed Belle like one in fear and desperation, saying: 
“Shut your mouth or I’ll shut it for you—you fool! If you have 
no sense, I’ll make you have some! I don’t propose to have you 
make any worse trouble for me—There ! Now!” 

The foregoing was all I could gather from my inquiiies of 
Carrie and Belle in regards to their trouble'and what was said 
during these secret interviews; from which readers may draw 

their own conclusions. 


174 LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 

A MYSTERIOUS EVENT. 

It was at some date between one and three weeks from the 
night of my last inquiry into the secret trouble that Carrie and 
Belle were having with their father and step-mother, when Laura 
notified Carrie and I at the hour of 1 P. M. that she was going 
up town on business, and would not return for several hours: 
“You and Nellie must stay here and look after the house, till I 
come back,” she said. 

We were the only persons in the house or on the premises, 
that I knew of; Carrie and I were occupying the same mahogany, 
hair-cloth cushioned sofa, that had formerly been in the old house 
by the Napa river; the same long, red mahogany-framed mirror 
that had hung over the mahogany table in the same old house, 
from which I had extracted My Father’s picture, now hung on the 
wall of our new house, in front of us; we were sewing; it was an 
unusually quiet afternoon, not far from the hour of 4 P. M. Carrie 
suddenly raised her eyes to the mirror on the wall in front of us; 
I, too, was looking at it, and we both saw the old mirror raise 
upwards from its fastenings, as though lifted by unseen hands, 
and so violently thrown to the floor beneath, that the glass became 
the finest of powder, excepting a few small fragments. We ex¬ 
amined the knob on the wall from which the mirror had hung, 
its cord and fastenings, that were found to be unbroken and in 
their places. We therefore came to the conclusion that the mirror 
had been lifted from its place and thrown to the floor by some 
power not visible to our eyes. This mysterious event caused us to 
run from the room from fright. 

“What will Laura say when she finds the mirror broke?” was 
Carrie’s inquiry. “What will, and can we tell her, when she asks 
us how it got broke?” 

“Just tell her the truth about it,” said I, “and I will be your 
strong witness. 

“Nell, I believe the breaking of that looking glass has a 
meaning. I’ve heard people say a person who breaks a looking 
glass will have bad luck for seven years to come; and I am afraid 
there is going to be trouble or bad luck in this family for seven 
years to come.” 

“The looking glass was not broken by any one of the family,” 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


175 


said I, “and it may have some other meaning in this case.” 

“Nell, I am feeling superstitious of you,” said Carrie. 

“Why so?” I said. s 

“That ghost or spirit we saw in the graveyard and this looking 
glass,” said Carrie. “I never see such things only when I am with 
you. Do you suppose you are watched and warned of danger by 
ghosts or spirits ?” 

“I was certainly warned by something of that kind when we 
were in the graveyard together, yet I do not understand why this 
looking glass was broken in front of our eyes. It puzzled me, was 
my reply. 

It was near sunset when Laura returned home. Not a word 
did she ever say to me about what her business transactions per¬ 
tained to this day. Carrie related to her all we saw and knew 
about the breaking of the mirror, to which Laura replied: “May- 
be you girls imagine a great deal. \\ e had better get the broom 
and dustpan and clean up the glass.” We three went up stairs to¬ 
gether to view the remains of the mirror, when Laura said and 

went abruptly: 

“I’ll have to go right away and get supper—I didn’t think 
it was so late—you girls can clean up the glass.” 

“Did you see how white Laura’s face was before she left us?” 

Carrie asked. 

“I noticed her face was whiter than usual,” I replied. “The 
sooner we get this glass cleaned up, I guess the bettei. 

I was picking up the frame and its pieces, while Canie 
grabbed the broom and swept up the remains of the glass. No 
other absent one of the family returned home that evening before 
dusk. Not a word of mention did I ever hear from Laura of the 
same mirror, after that which I have related in the foregoing. 

TLIE MESSRS. DEWEESE DISCON I INUE I HEIR CxYLLS. 

It was during the month of February, 1876, when Doth Carrie 
and Belle Colburn notified me that the Deweese brothers would 
cease to call at our home and to be their escorts. A few days after 
the notification, Laura notified me in Carrie’s presence that she 
had decided it would be better and pleasanter for Carrie to 
go and live with her sister Lucy for a while, where she had better 


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chances to learn and to see more than in the quiet town of Napa. 
Carrie said she would rather go with Lucy a while than to remain 
in Napa any longer. 

“Yes, it will be better and pleasanter,” said Laura, “Carrie is 
getting old enough to support herself. Lucy is a better cook and 
housekeeper, and can teach Carrie more about cooking and house¬ 
keeping than I can.” 

Carrie began packing her trunk the same day, and the morn¬ 
ing following, she bade us good-bye, saying she was going to 
Oakland. Mr. Colburn said he preferred to go with Carrie alone 
to the train, where he said he would see her off for Oakland. 
Carrie did not ask me to write to her and wrote no letters to me. 

Mr. A. A. Smith did not discontinue his calls, and after sev¬ 
eral weeks, decided to get Belle another escort, who accompanied 
him for the first time to our home, one Sunday afternoon. We 
continued our walks on Sundays and us four attended a May-Day 
picnic and dance at St. Helena, Napa County, after which Belle’s 
escort soon discontinued his calls at our home. 

During the latter part of May or June, Laura notified me 
privately, that she had gotten rid of Carrie, and to get rid of 
Belle, had decided to go to Virginia City, State of Nevada, for a 
while. 

“I found it necessary to get rid of them girls,” said Laura, 
“or to separate from Colburn; because they cause too much com 
tention in the family, and are not the kind of girls 1 want to have 
living in the same house with me. The same evening, Mr. Col¬ 
burn notified me when Laura and Belle were present, that he was 
going to send Belle to live with his brother and family, in Ukiah, 
Mendocino County, California, where, he said, she would be with 
her cousins, Albert, Horatio, Orleans Colburn and a younger girl, 
whose name I do not remember. The morning following, Belle, 
or Annabelle Colburn, bade us good-bye, escorted by her father, 
who said he preferred to walk with Belle alone to see her off for 
Ukiah. 

Belle expressed no regret leaving us, neither said she would 
like to see me again, would write to me or asked me to write to 
her. This was the last time I saw Belle Colburn. The Sunday 
following, Laura notified Mr. A. A. Smith when I was present, 


LINKS OF MYSTEIRY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


177 


that she would leave Napa in a few days for Virginia City, State 
of Nevada. “I am going to take Nellie with me,” she said. 

Mr. L. P. Smith, Sr., with his two sons, L. P. Smith, Jr and A. 
A. Smith, had been in the jewelry business in Napa City to my 
knowledge, a year or more. Mr. L. P. Smith, Jr. was now de¬ 
ceased. Mr. A. A. Smith called the few remaining evenings of 
our time in Napa, during which time we had some private walks 
and talks; when Mr. Smith declared: “That if I would prove con¬ 
stant, he would prove true;” to which we both agreed. We also 
agreed to correspond with each other until such time that Mr. 
Alfred Alcot Smith could claim me for his bride. Mr. Smith in¬ 
formed me that it had been agreed between his father, mother and 
himself to leave Napa, State of California, in a few days for Wash¬ 
ington Ter., where they would begin life anew; where he with his 
father would be engaged in the jewelry business. 

SKETCPI 32. 

VIRGINIA CITY. MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS, LINKS IN 
THE CHAIN OF MYSTERY AND CONSPIRACY. 

The day after Belle Colburn had gone from our home, Laura 
began packing clothing and such furniture as we could get along 
without, and all the furniture, she said, would be packed and 
stowed in one room of the house; that the same house had been 
rented to a family of Napa by the name of Brink, who would 
occupy the house, with whom “Colburn” would board and room; 
that I must go with her to Virginia City, where she thought we 
both could have a better time than we had had in Napa. After a 
hurried preparation, as appeared, Mr. Colburn escorted Laura, 
her three children, Louis, Augustus and Geneva, with myself, to 
the train at Napa City to see us off for the State of Nevada, Mr. 
Colburn remaining. We arrived safely without any disagree¬ 
ments or difficulty on our way to Virginia City, State of Nevada, 
during the first part of June, 1876. Virginia City, we found to 
be a wealthy mining settlement, built on hills, side hills and in 
canyons, at the base of Mount Davidson; the principal business 
street of the city was C street, and B street came next in order 
and value as a business street; where houses and rents of all de¬ 
scriptions were valued at a high rate. The greater portion of 


178 LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEIL±NG. 

this city a short time previous, had been destroyed by fire, causing’ 
fire alarms to be exciting and dangerous. 

Laura first rented rooms for us in a rooming house, where 
the front entrance was through a long hall of another building on 
C street. Laura was being more cheerful, more agreeable and less 
aggressive to me than she had ever been in the past, sending me 
out every day for a while with Louis and Augustus to take walks 
and views of Virginia City, that I found to be interesting and 
the change of the climate and scenery enjoyable. Of course I 
could not fail to perceive that I was with a scheming woman then, 
though the plot and conspiracy in which Laura with others was in¬ 
volved, I neither comprehended or had any correct idea of, there¬ 
fore did not know or realize my danger with her and enjoyed 
most of my time in the State of Nevada, better than I would have 
otherwise where I was a stranger, Laura also representing to me 
that she was a stranger there. 

The morning of the Fourth of July, Centennial year, 1876, 
came while we were yet in the same rooming house; for which day 
a grand parade had been advertised to take place. Louis and Au¬ 
gustus were out on the streets as usual during the day time, Laura 
and I had nearly finished dressing when the fire alarm sounded 
loud and clear. Laura opened a door enough to give us a view in 
the hall, where we beheld smoke issuing from the hall beneath, 
from where our trunks containing most of our personal effects—- 
no telling what else—were stowed in a room under the stairs; men, 
some dressed, some half clad, garments in hands dressing as they 
hurried along, served as a warning to us that we had no time to lose 
to effect our escape. While hurrying on my dress, Laura ex¬ 
citedly brought a thin pillowslip two-thirds filled with some¬ 
thing and tied with a cord, that she placed in my hands, saying: 

“Take this bundle—be sure you don’t drop or lose it: it is 
jewelry wrapped in papers and is valuable.” 

Taking Geneva in her arms and such effects as she could grab, 
she hurried me along through the hallways to C street, where we 
were notified that the fire had caught in a house next to us, and 
was now extinguished. To get our nerves quieted, we with 
others took seats in the sitting room of our rooming house, to 
listen to music from a guitar. Occupying a seat not in full view 
of Laura, gave me a chance to feel the contents of the thin pillow- 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


179 


slip that she had placed in my hands for safe-keeping at a moment 
onr lives were thought to be in danger, indicative that whatever 
it contained, was valuable to Laura, or she considered it so. There 
might have been a small amount of jewelry in this pillowslip, yet 
I discovered that Laura had given me a false explanation of its 
contents. From the feeling of articles in' this pillowslip, I became 
convinced then, and have never since had any reason to change my 
belief, that they were most of the same letters, daguerreotype pic¬ 
tures and legal papers I had seen in the red mahogany table, from 
which I extracted and recognized the picture of my dear Father, 
in the old house by the Napa river, where also I had found a 
picture of a David Manuel, whom I had known and missed: where 
also I had missed and lost the woman so dear to me, My Mother. 
Laura took the pillowslip from my hands, giving no more explana¬ 
tion of its contents to me then, or ever after. 

I had lived in the same houses and in the care of Laura at 
least ten years, to my knowledge, in Napa City and suburbs, Napa 
County, State of California, during all of which time I do not 
remember of her attending any kind of a public meeting or gather¬ 
ing of any description in daytime, excepting her short attendance 
of the Unitarian meetings, held in the Court House, Napa City. 
Pier associates and callers had been very few, so far as I had knowl¬ 
edge, she having lived almost a life of seclusion, as appealed. 
During all these years, she had continuously lepresented herself 
to me to be poverty poor in money matters, only being able by 
the strict economy to pay her necessary living expenses and taxes 
on her Third Street house and lot, that she said was rented most 
of the time for twenty-five and thirty dollars a month; also her 
taxes on the old house and two lots by the Napa river, which she 
represented to me was all the Court had set aside for her at the 
time of her divorce from her former husband, the said and alleged 

David A. Manuel (one of the four). 

A short time after the Fourth of July, 1876, Laura’s brother 

Isaac Griswold called on us in Virginia City, where he said he 
had come to do contracting and house-building; that his wife and 
children had remained in Napa City, California. After Isaac 
Griswold appeared there, Laura began renting the second stories of 
buildings, furnished them with new carpets and new walnut fur¬ 
niture ' The cheapest kind of furniture there then was at a high 


180 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


rate of cost, at which Laura continued until she had rented the 
second stories of three buildings, furnishing them all with new 
furniture; one on C street and two on B street, near together; in¬ 
dicative that Laura had either misrepresented her money matters 
to me, or had suddenly had some burst of fortune, to which she 
never gave any account of to me. Yet with all, Laura did not neg¬ 
lect to see to it carefully that I did not retain so much as a 50-ceiit 
piece of money in my possession; also that I was given no oppor¬ 
tunity to take a music lesson or go where I could have any chance 
to practice on any instrument of music. In fact she would fly into 
a rage at anyone who would offer to assist me in any way in the 
line of music, though free of charge. Laura so managed her 
rooming apartments as to exempt me from doing very little of 
the Avork necessary to keep them in order; two of which I seldom 
entered—then to distribute towels, and I knew few of her roomers 
by name or sight. After we had been in Virginia City a few 
weeks, Geneva became cross and crying most of the time when 
Laura was present, for which she never scolded or punished her. 
One day, worried from listening to Geneva’s contiued crying, 
Laura exclaimed: 

“Nellie, can you and will you take good care of Geneva till 1 
uo out for a walk to rest my ears? Then I will take care of her 
and let you go for a walk to rest your ears.” 

“I can try,” I said. , 

When Geneva detected the sound of Laura’s feet on the stairs 
returning from her walk, she threw herself on the floor, screamed 
and kicked the air with rage, and Laura inquied: “Has Geneva 
cried this way long?” 

“Oh, no; Geneva has been quiet most all the time you have 
been away, and has not screamed or acted like this, only when you 
went and she heard the sound of your feet on the stairs coming 
home,” came my response. 

Laura, looking suspicious, inquired: “How did you contrive 
to keep her quiet?” 

“By telling her little stories, feeding her and showing her 
pictures,” I explained. 

For me to whip or slap Geneva, to Laura’s knowledge, I con¬ 
sidered would be worth my life; for to scold or to criticise her 
disposition would bring immediate wrath from Laura. Geneva 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


181 


could only say Ma and Pa, therefore, could give no account of 
what was said or done during Laura’s absence; though any child 
at Geneva’s age, that was average in language, could have talked 
well enough to have given their mother some kind of an under¬ 
standing as to what was said or done, and Geneva did not begin to 
talk before she had seen her third year. Laura never accused me 
to my face in audible language of slapping or whipping Geneva 
during her absence; nevertheless, I observed and remembered 
that Laura did a number of times, examine Geneva’s head and body 
very carefully, when preparing her for bed, to find, very appar¬ 
ently, some sign or mark of the same. However, there was none 
on her to be found, and the morning* after my foregoing experience 
with Geneva, Laura inquired : 

“Does it worry you to take care of Geneva?” 

“It did not worry me any yesterday,” I replied. 

“Well, if you could take good care of Geneva, so that she 
would be contented with you and would not cry, like she does with 
me, continually, it would give me great relief. It is too much for 
me to try to do, to take care of my rooms and try to look out for 
my business without more help. I can buy most that we eat, 
cooked, and the small amount of cooking necessary to be done 
for us, I can do when I come home from the rooms. It is necessary 
too, for somebody to stay here on account of the boys. You can 
see that they get enough to eat and keep them out of trouble bettei 

than I can,” Laura proposed and explained. 

“Wouldn’t you rather be with Geneva most of the time? 
Why not let me do some of the business for you and some of the 
necessary work in the other houses? It looks to me as though 
you are trying to do too much,” I proposed and explained. 

“No, to hear Geneva crying worries me more than the work 
in the rooms, and I prefer to do all my owh business. You are not 
old enough and have not had experience enough to know how to 
deal with roomers. If you can take good care of Geneva and the 

boys for me, I will be pleased, said Laura. 

As soon as Geneva detected the sound of Laura’s feet on the 
stairs returning home, she threw herself on the floor, kicked the 
air and the air surrounding us was filled with her screams. 

Anxious and startled looking, Laura inquired: Has Geneva 
cried and acted like this most of the time I’ve been away?” 


182 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


“No, she has been quiet and very little trouble to me,” said 
I, “and only screams and acts like this when she hears you go and 
come.” 

“Now what do you suppose makes her act that way ? Have 
you any idea?” said Laura. 

“I know it is not because you are mean to her," said I, “Who 
could think more of her and do more for her than you do? I 
have an idea she is angry every time you go and come because 
you don’t take her with you.” 

“It would be out of the question for me to take that child 
with me, do 1 my work and look after business,” said Laura. 

“By promising* and taking* Geneva out for little walks when 
you come home, I think she will get over screaming when you go 
and come,” I proposed, which Laura consented to; which after 
I had tried it several days, broke Geneva of the screaming at the 
sound of her mother’s footsteps, which pleased Laura and gave 
her confidence in my management and care of Geneva; and no per¬ 
son could persuade and manage Geneva as I could from now on. 
Geneva would scream if I left the house without her. 

“Laura,” I said, “let me try to take care of all the rooms we 
have in this house, manage the boys and take care of Geneva.” 

“You can when they need our care, but don’t neglect Geneva 

and the boys for the rooms, said Laui a. 

My said uncle, Isaac Griswold, soon after his arrival in Vir¬ 
ginia City, introduced me to a family by the surname of Beck, 
who were friendly with both Isaac and Laui a. Isaac said he was 
engaged in contracting and housebuilding for Mrs. Beck, and 
Laura bought furniture of Mr. Beck & Son, who kept a furniture 
store on C street, several blocks from Laura’s rooming apartment 
on the same street. This Beck family appeared to be respectable 
and nicely behaved, so far as I knew of them, with whom I became 

friendly and somewhat sociable. 

We had been in Virginia City at least six weeks before I saw 

the first letter signed Alfred A. Smith, through the U. S. Mail, Se¬ 
attle Washington Ter. Laura represented to me that some one 01 - 
more might be on the lookout for my letters at the Postoffice; thar 
to call at the Postoffice for letters would put whoever might be on 
the lookout, wise to the fact that I was expecting letters; that 
for safetv, convenience and to throw off suspicion, it would be 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


183 


better to request Mr. Smith to send his letters to me by Wells 
Fargo & Co.’s Express, and she would have Mr. Beck call for 
them and take them with his letters to his furniture store, where 
I could call for them without arousing any suspicion. She was, 
or pretended to be, very zealous, that my correspondence with 
Mr. A. A. Smith should not be interfered with. I therefore dis¬ 
continued my calls for mail at the Postoffice, and called at Beck 
& Son’s furniture store for all Express letters; my only letters 
there, being signed A. A. Smith; for Laura did not permit me to 
correspond with any other person while we were in the State 
of Nevada. Laura took all my letters addressed to A. A. Smith, 
Seattle, Washington Ter., and “put them in the Postoffice,” she 
said, for me. I did not suppose then, that any of my correspond¬ 
ence would be of sufficient consequence, for any one to run the 
risk or go to the trouble of intercepting them and forging answers; 
and knew no reason why they should. 

Isaac Griswold’s calls were not very frequent; he did not board 
with us, and I never did hear where he boarded or roomed while 
in Virginia City, State of Nevada; yet he might have had inter¬ 
views with Laura most every day and have roomed in one or 
more of her other rooming apartments and I not aware of it. 
However, Isaac was very sociable when we met, and I accompa¬ 
nied him on a climb to the top of Mount Davidson one Sunday; 
for I liked my said uncle Isaac’s company and had the same con¬ 
fidence in him then, I think, that most girls have in a real uncle. 
Uncle Isaac proved to be safe, jolly and as properly behaved on 
this trip as could be expected of any man and gentleman, and I had 
never known uncle Isaac to be otherwise while in my company. 
Twice, while in Nevada, by uncle Isaac’s invitation, I went with 
small parties on picnic excursions to Carson City and vicinity, 
where dancing was in order, of which I enjoyed a reasonable shaic. 
Laura also permtted me to attend several balls and some other en¬ 
tertainments during our time in Nevada, though she could have 
done much better and nearer right by me than she did, while 

in Nevada. 

Isaac called one evening and requested my company to a 
spiritualistic meeting, to which Laura gave her consent. I had 
never attended any meetings of this kind, and on our way, Isaac 


184 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


save me some instructions about how to act properly. 

o . 

“I do not believe what mediums say,” said Isaac, “I am only 
going there for pasttime to please Mrs. Beck, who employs me/ 

When we arrived at the Beck residence, had been invited to 
hang up our wraps, I observed a woman standing at the end of 
the hall in the doorway, greeting guests as they passed her to the 
room where the spiritualistic meeting was to take place. I 
followed after Isaac and was greeted pleasantly by the medium, 
who said in a low voice: 

“Your life is shrouded in mystery. I was so impressed at 
first sight of your face.” 

A few minutes after we were all seated with our hands in 
position on the table, with a searching glance at both Isaac and I, 
the medium announced: 

“A lady in mourning, from the spirit world, desires to coni' 
municate with the young lady opposite me.” 

“I will be pleased to receive her communication,” was my 
answer. Then the medium said she would repeat the message to 
me from the lady of the spirit world; which she gave in language 
to the sum and effect: 

“Your mother is dead. The person who claims you as her 
daughter and compels you to be with her, is not your mother; 
hovers over your life an enemy to destroy you—do not believe 
or trust her.” 

Isaac put a stop to the message, by throwing up his hands 
and exclaiming: 

“Stop! I don’t want this child to hear any more of that kind 
of stuff! She is too young to understand such talk!” 

“Come, Nellie, let us be going,” said Isaac to me, “this is no 
place for you.” 

Then Isaac hurried me out of the house without any apology, 
and this proved to be my last, to present writing, to be company 
for my uncle Isaac at any time or place. Isaac hurried me home, 
having very little to say—no more, that I remember, than to en¬ 
deavor to persuade me there was no truth in what the medium 
had told me; that what mediums said was not reliable. Uncle 
Isaac bade me good-night at the downstairs entrance door, and 
this was my last to see Isaac Griswold in the State of Nevada. I 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


185 


found Laura up stairs. She was not inquisitive on this occasion, 
as she usually was, only inquired if Isaac came home with me? 
She never did inquire of me as to what was said or done at the 
spiritualistic meeting, which I for years to come did not repeat. 

Two or three days later, Laura informed me that Isaac had re¬ 
ceived a telegram, notifying him that his wife, Katie, was ser¬ 
iously ill, to start for California on the next train. A few days 
after I bade Isaac Griswold good-night from the spiritualistic meet¬ 
ing, Mr. Colburn arrived in Virginia City, appearing anxious and 
worried. He had no more than greeted us all, inquiring how we 
were “making out,” when he announced: That he had come to 
help close up “Lolly’s lodging house business, and take us all back 
to California.” 

Very few of Laura’s roomers had called to visit with us dm 
ing our time in Virginia City. However, there were three of 
Laura’s gentleman roomers, two of whom were represented to be 
insurance agents, married men, with families in the East, one a 
physician of Virginia City, who had, since a few weeks previous, 
been entertained by Laura and I at our home parlor occasionally, 
when we played cards to pass away evenings. These men were 
gentlemanly always in my presence, and were properly behaved 
for the custom of the place, bringing with them wine in sealed 
bottles for treats, after our card games. They were jolly company, 
and it so happened, they were present the same evening of Mr. 
Colburn’s arrival in Virginia City; when we resumed our card 
playing as usual, in which they invited Mr. Colburn to take part. 
This invitation he declined, sitting in a corner of the room looking 
glum, while Laura apparently was enjoyng the games. Llis face 
took on a pleasanter expression when the wine was passed around 
and the gentlemen guests bade us good-evening. This proved to 
be our last card game in Virginia City; though Laura continued 
with other games more serious and dangerous. 

The morning after, when Laura had gone to her rooming 
apartments and Mr. Colburn had some opportunity to converse 
with me alone, he said: 

“Lolly acted last evening like she thought more of the man 
she played cards with than she does of me. 

“What makes you think so?” said I. 


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LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


“The way she acted, and wine bottles around here looks as 
though you’ve had a pretty fine time and played cards pretty 
often,” said Mr. Colburn. 

“It is the custom in Virginia City, to play caids and drink 
wine. Laura does it to make evenings pleasant for her best room¬ 
ers and keep up business, I explained. 

“But I’m not in favor of Lolly’s keeping up this lodging- 
house business any longer. You’ve been here long enough,” said 
Mr. Colburn. 

The day after Mr. Colburn’s arrival, Laura began to dispose 
of roomers and to pack up unnecessary furniture as rapidly as 
could be done according to circumstances, until ready to leave for 
California. 

It was during April or May of 1877, when Laura with her 
three children, Mr. Colburn and myself, ieft Virginia City, State 
of Nevada, by train, arriving in Oakland, California; where I lost 
si°ht for several days of Mr. Colburn and Laura s two boys, Louis 
and Augustus. Laura took Geneva and myself with her from the 
depot at Oakland, to the residence of the said G. W. and Lucy 
Manuel, 678 14th and Castro streets. I never did know where 
Louis and Augustus were during this time. After three days’ 
absence from my sight, Air. Colburn called and informed me, that 
he had been told Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California, was a 
thriving town, and a nice place to live; that he was going to take 
us there in two or three days. I was treated civilly as a guest by 
G. W. Manuel and family, and after we had visited with them near 
a week’s space of time, we boarded the train for Santa Rosa, 
Sonoma County. Augustus was at the depot and went with us, 
yet I have no recollection of having seen Louis during our visit to 
Santa Rosa. 

We rode in a buss from Santa Rosa depot, about a mile and a 
half’s distance in the country, to a house off by itself, that I found 
was being occupied by our former acquaintances, the Caldwell 
familv, whom I had not seen or heard mentioned, since the visit 
described in SKETCH 26. Mrs. Caldwell and her three boys I 
knew, greeted and welcomed us in a friendly manner. Mr. Col¬ 
burn said he would go back to town and remain, where he could 
have a chance to take a look over Santa Rosa and see what the 


LINKS OF MYSTEIRY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


187 


prospects were in his line of business. Leaving us with the Cald¬ 
wells,. he rode away in the buss. Mrs. Caldwell had added three 
more boys to her family since I saw her last, and she said, re¬ 
mained at home very close to take care of them. To my idea, Mrs. 
Caldwell did not look or appear like a person who would be in¬ 
tentionally or wilfully guilty of crime, and did not appear like a 
proper associate for the kind of a person I knew Laura to be. It 
was an open, flat appearing country, with oaks scattered over it, 
surrounding this country home of the Caldwells; through which 
a narrow, winding creek ran, fringed in most places with bushes 
and scrubby oaks. This creek served as a fence for the back yaid 
of their residence, where the banks, as I remember them, must 
have been not less than twenty feet high from the water, and nearly 
perpendicular. There was no guard on the bank that teiminatcd 
the Caldwell yard, as a preventive of persons falling into the creek. 

Mrs. Caldwell’s sons, like their mother, were properly behaved. 
Laura represented to Mrs. Caldwell when I was present, that she 
had come to Santa Rosa with the intention of remaining there as 
a resident, and Mrs. Caldwell accompanied her to town nearly 
every day, in search of some suitable house to rent, they lepie- 
sented, leaving me at home with the boys. Finally, Laura de¬ 
clared she had found no house for rent that would be satisfactory 

to her. 

“I don’t see anything for us here,’’ said Laura to Mrs. Cald¬ 
well, “and we've made up our minds to leave here tomorrow. I 
think I had better leave Nellie here for awhile with you, for help 
and company. She can help you with your work and take care oi 
your little boys, while you go to town or visiting. I think you aic 
staying at home too close, for the good of your health.” 

At this proposition of Laura’s, the expression of Mrs. Cald¬ 
well's face changed completely. I never saw her face look as it 
did then • her voice also had an indignant and changed expression 
—as though Laura had suddenly caused a gulf to form between 

them. 

“No. I would not be pleased to have Nellie remain here with¬ 
out vou. You must take her with you, when you leave my house. 
I can make out very well, I think, as I have been doing,” replied 


188 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILINO. 


Mrs. Caldwell, in a voice and expression indicative, that she was 

done with us—then and there. , 

I felt this reply, the tone and expression in which it was said, 
keenly; wondering what had been done or said, to cause Mrs. Cald¬ 
well to look and speak the way she did; and it was very plainly 
discernable that her answer had disconcerted Laura, from the red 
and white alternately, of her face; her hesitation to reply, the 
faltering' of her voice, when she explained to Mrs. Caldwell: 

“Why—I thought—Nellie, would be good company for you. 
I thought it must be rather lonesome for you here in the country 
with no woman or girl near you. This was why I thought you 
would like to have Nellie with you a little while.” 

“No. You must take Nellie with you, when you go from my 
house,” Mrs. Caldwell repeated, with no further explanation, with 
the same decided expression and tone of voice as before; that 
proved to be her final decision, in regards to my remaining at her 
home. It might have been her final decision also with Laura—for 
all I know. This conversation apparently, was so much like 
“diamond cut diamond” to Laura, that she changed the subject 
immediately after this last decided answer of Mrs. Caldwell. 
Though Mrs. Caldwell and family continued to treat us with civil 
courtesy as guests while in her house, her former friendliness, I 
found, had vanished, and early the morning following, the buss 
stopped in front of the Caldwell residence, containing the driver 
and Mr. Colburn, who had come to take us to the train. Mr. Cald¬ 
well was not at home this morning; we bade Mrs. Caldwell and 
sons a formal good-bye, and seated ourselves in the buss for the 
depot. If Mrs. Caldwell extended an invitation to any one of us to 
visit with her again, I did not hear of it, and this proved to be my 
last time to see Mrs. Caldwell, or any member of her family, to 
present writing. 1 never did write or receive a letter from any 
member of this Caldwell family. If Laura did, she never men¬ 
tioned the fact to me. 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


189 


SKETCH 33. 

OAKLAND , ALAMEDA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA. MIS¬ 
CELLANEOUS LINKS IN THE CHAIN OF MYS¬ 
TERY AND CONSPIRACY; THAT APPEAR 
IN SOME INSTANCES TO BE 
WITH MURDEROUS INTENT. 

Alter a week’s visit with the Caldwells in Santa Rosa, Sonoma 
County, we returned to the City of Oakland Alameda County, State 
of California, where we went from the train to a house several 
blocks below 7th street, that was all furnished with furniture from 
Laura's rooms, of Virginia City, State of Nevada, and all in 
order and ready for occupancy; which fact was conclusive to my 
mind then, that our latest trip to the Caldwell home in Santa Rosa 
had not been for the purpose of our remaining there any length of 
time as residents, as had been represented to Mrs. Caldwell and 
myself; that Mrs. Caldwell had some reason to suspect Laura 
of treachery of some kind. My belief of the same, was also 
strengthened, from the facts, that all mention of the Caldwells 
ceased in my presence, after our return to Oakland; that I never 
heard any mention or account from any one, as to when this house 
had been rented, when or by whom it had been furnished, while 
I was at the Manuel residence on 678, 14th and Castro streets, 
Oakland, and in Santa Rosa, at the Caldwell residence. 

By inquires, I found that Carrie Colburn was yet a resident 
of Oakland, and was employed to take care of two small daughters 
of a Mr. and Mrs. Hayes, Oakland, where I called. Carrie greeted 
me friendly and introduced me to Mrs. Hayes and daughters; who 
apparently, were pleased with Carrie, trusting her like one of their 
family. Carrie said her time with Lucy Manuel, at 678 14th and 
Castro streets, lasted no longer than six weeks. 

“It is a question in my opinion,” said Carrie, “who is the 
worse? Lucy or Laura.” 

Carrie also gave me some information then, that put me to 
thinking; that I quote as she related it to me: 

“While I was with Lucy Manuel,” said Carrie, “Lucy got a 
letter notifying her that her sister Ellen Griswold had just. died. 
Wallie Manuel felt so bad when his mother told him his aunt 


190 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 

Ellen was dead, that to drown his sorrow, Wallie went straight to 
the cupboard, deliberately got him a large-sized piece of bread and 
butter; then went out, sat flat on the ground, leaned against the 
back of the house and took consolation devouring the bread and 
butter. I made up my mind then, that Wallie Manuel was not 

liable to be hurt with grief." 

This was all the information I could gather from Carrie about 
the said Ellen Griswold (deceased). Carrie said this was all she 
had heard about her. 

During the year of 1869 or 1870, was when I first saw an 
album in Laura’s possession, in which was a photograph of a girl 
or young looking woman, over one shoulder of whom fell long 
hair. The hair and the expression of this face, impressed me as those 
having no family resemblance to either Laura, her sister Lucy oi 
her brother Isaac Griswold, and from this time on, I saw no face 
or expression reminding me of this picture, until I saw. a picture 
years after, in a newspaper, of Genevieve Chandler Phipps; that 
at first sight, recalled this picture of one whom Lain a taught me, 
was her youngest sister, namely, Ellen Griswold. The faces of 
these two pictures, were to me, like pictures of one and the same 

person_so very much alike were their faces and expiessions. T_he 

Genevieve Chandler I have reference to, was the lady of whom so 
many newspapers of the United States gave accounts of her two 
little daughters and trouble with her husband, relating to their 
divorce proceedings. This information may yet prove to be of 
some value to the same lady. This said Ellen Giiswold, Laura 
informed me, at the time I saw her picture in the album in the 
old house by the Napa river, had been an employe for some years 
of the “Elgin Watch Works,” Kane County, State of Illinois, and 
w ho, Laura taught me, died unmarried at the age of twenty-four 
years; after whom Laura said she had named me Eleanor. Now 
that Carrie Colburn had brought to me a different account of the 
date of the same Ellen Griswold’s death, as represented, was 
strange, to say the least, at which I wondered, as a natural conse¬ 
quence. 

I was becoming more and more dissatisfied in Laura’s cus¬ 
tody, and was endeavoring to take advantage of every chance I 
could get, to become self-supporting; in which Laura continuously 


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191 


hindered and opposed me. To take any kind of a place where I 
would not room in the same house with Laura, or be away from 
home nights, I found to be out of the question with her; and the 
only chance I then saw for myself, was to find situations by the 
day, in dressmaking parlors or to sew as helper in private families. 

I had practiced hemming, button-hole making and some other 
kinds of sewing, until I was told my hemming and button-hole 
making was nice enough to work on expensive wool and silk 
dresses, though I concealed this from Laura. I had private talks 
with Carrie Colburn on the same subject, who aided me for awhile 
in procuring situations, by watching newspaper ads; for Laura 
was yet too poor, she said, to take newspapers. A few days 
after our return to Oakland I found a situation in a private family, 
where I could make button-holes, hem and do other sewing on 
dresses to give satisfaction. I was very much pleased and encour¬ 
aged with my situation, with promises of more work for some time 
to come. At the expiration of five days, Laura said I had been 
there long enough, and needed a rest; and with no amount of argu¬ 
ment or persuasion, would she consent to my remaining at the 
same place another day. My five-dollar gold piece consoled and 
encouraged me to press on, which I was taking very good care of, 
with hopes of Soon getting another chance to earn more. 

The evening of the 3rd of July, 1877, came, when I was agree¬ 
ably surprised to behold Kmma Ritchie with her brother James, 
entering our front yard, whom we greeted and received. James 
said he could not remain, but had brought his sister Emma from 
Napa, to spend the Fourth of July with us, and departed from our 
premises after a short call. This was my first to see or hear from 
Emma Ritchie or any of the Ritchie family, since Mr. Colburn 
saw us to the train at Napa City, California, for the State of Neva¬ 
da. On the morning of the Fourth, while preparing for a walk 
and a ride on the street cars, Emma sat taking observations while 
Laura was present, complimented me: 

“What lovely long hair you have, Nell—you've grown nicer 
looking since I saw you last in Napa.” Then turning to Laura 
Emma inquired: “Say Mrs. Colburn, who does Nellie take her 
hair from? She don’t have hair like you, and she don't look like 
any one I’ve seen in your family.” 


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“She looks like a sister of mine did, who is dead,” said Laura, 
“and she’s got hair like my sister had.” 

“What was her name?” Emma inquired. 

“Ellen Griswold,” said Laura. 

Emma and I put in most of the Fourth of July together away 
from home and Laura, having a sociable time, and on the morning 
of the 5th, Emma said she would have a short visit with a cousin, 
then a resident of Oakland, after which she would return to her 
home in Napa, California. 

Several days after the Fourth, a Air. Samuel Orr, brother to 
Mrs. Ritchie of Napa City, called, and was received by Laura into 
the parlor, where they had some private interview. Laui a called 

saying: 

“Nellie, come here, Mr. Orr wants to have a talk with you!” 

Stepping into the parlor, and to be brief, Air. Orr represented 
to me that he had an interest in some get-rich-quick mine; was 
selling a few shares, necessary to purchase the where-with to put 
it in operation. Laura also represented in Air. Orr’s presence, that 
she was going to pay for a few shares of this get-rich-quick con¬ 
cern, and only lacked $5.00, necessary to make up the sum of money 
she needed. Of course—she demanded the five dollars I had earned 
sewing, and there was nothing 1 could do but to hand her the 
five dollars. 

“I’ll get some money from Colburn in a day or two, and then 
I’ll hand you back the five dollars,” she said. “This is only a 
borrow.” 

Did I ever see Air. Orr again? No, I never saw him after this 
occurrence; if Laura did, she never mentioned it to me. Did 
Laura return my five dollars as she had promised? No, she never 
did; and after several weeks, I heard no more mention of Air. Orr 
or Laura’s mining investment, and this is all I know about it. 

Several days after the get-rich-quick call of Mr. Orr, Laura 
in sisted very much against my wish, on my delivering a sealed 
envelope to her sister Lucy, at 678, 14th and Castro streets. I had 
very determinedly succeeded in keeping away from this residence 
since our return to Oakland, and was almost on the verge of desper¬ 
ation, rather than go there any more, when Laura said: 

“You don’t have to go there if you don’t want to, but I’ve 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


193 


an urgent message that must be delivered to Lucy before dark. 
I’ve got to get supper, and can't get time to go myself, and you 
are the only one around the place now that I can send. It won’t 
hurt you any to go there and hand this letter to Lucy and come 
right home again. I can't see for the life of me what has got into 
you lately.” 

I delivered the sealed envelope to Lucy, as Laura had directed, 
which Lucy opened and quickly read, then turning to me in a 
haughty, contemptious manner, with the corners of her mouth 
drawn down, with no accusation or explanation of her conduct, 
ordered her daughter May to show me out the front door, saying: 

“Nellie, don’t you ever step your foot into my house again.” 

So startled was I at this unexpected order, that without any 
word of questioning, I went with May to the front door, where she 
whispered to me as I was going out: 

“I’m sorry Nellie, but I can’t help it.” 

I hurried home and explained Lucy’s conduct to Laura, expect¬ 
ing her to do as much as to act, or say she was surprised. How¬ 
ever, Laura did not, and only expressed in words, to the effect: 
“Well—this will be excuse enough for you to keep away from 
Lucy’s house and her children, from now on. George Manuel 
must have said something to her again to get her excited and 
foolish—that’s all I can think of.” 

It was not longer than a month since we had returned to 
Oakland and after Lucy ordered me out of her residence, when 
Lucy, the sister of Laura, and the said Lucy Manuel, of 678 14th and 
Castro streets, called on us one afternoon when we were the only 
persons present on our premises. Lucy was, or pretended to be, 
in an angry and excited mood at me. She first accused me of 
“going around Oakland and saying things to injure her good name 
and reputation,” threatening to have me sent away from Oakland, 
if I was guilty of saying any more about family affairs. 

“This is my first to hear of it,” I responded, “Your acquaint¬ 
ance in Oakland, must be extensive, according to that.” 

Then Lucy got ready to impress the idea intensely in my 
mind, that her influence in the city of Oakland, was wide and 
important. Taking a new supply of air into her lungs, the words, 
sentences, exclamations and threats came from her mouth like 


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debris blown by a mighty wind, filling the air surrounding us; 
which altogether, would read queer in a “Police Gazette.” While 
Lucy was hesitating to take in new breath, I seized the chance to 
get in a few words for my defense, inquiring: 

“Aunt Lucy, did the thoughts ever enter your excited mind, 
that I am a stranger in Oakland and could not have talked to any 
number of people to cause what you accuse me of? Allowing that 
it was my intention.” 

Thus far Laura made no remonstrance in my defense, looking 
undisturbed, until Lucy paused from my foregoing questions, as 
though at a loss what to answer, when Laura came to her aid 
by saying: 

“I don’t think Nellie’s been saying anything, Lucy. Nellie 
don’t know anythng against you to tell. I think somebody else has 
been telling lies, just for the love of making mischief. And what 
is there to say against you?' 

I lost my composure and patience by this time, exclaimed— 
nearly shouted at Lucy: “If you had what you deserve, you would 
be arrested and put in jail, for the way you have talked to me today. 
You needn't worry your head about me talking about you—for 
I would be ashamed to have people think I am acquainted with 
you—as great as you think you are! And don't speak to me 
again!” I withdrew from the room, too angry to remain any 
longer. It was only a few minutes after, when I had the pleasure 
of seeing Lucy going through our front gateway, turned in the 
direction of her home, and I am pleased to say, this was Lucy’s 
last to speak to me while Laura was a resident of Oakland. 

Near a corner of 17th street and San Pablo Avenue, were three 
one-story and a half houses alike and painted alike, two of which 
were in an alley-way, one facing a church yard and the other the 
church. They were more difficult to find and were located in a 
more out-of-a-way place than the house we had occupied no 
longer than two months below 7th street. They, too, were so lo¬ 
cated as not to attract attention of so many neighbors to persons 
who called on us, and Lucy could dodge around the corner house 
and disappear in the alley without there being much notice taken 
of her. Laura, Mr. Colburn, Louis, Augustus, George S., Geneva 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


195 


and myself, all occupied this house in the alley, that was a six- 
roomed and one-alcove cottage, facing the side of the small church 

Carrie Colburn had recommended me to her employer, Mrs. 
Hayes, for whom I did some sewing as helper in the line of dress¬ 
making, until Lucy, the sister of Laura, made such a disturbance 
on account of my sewing there, that Laura ordered me to quit 
sewing for Mrs Hayes. Though Laura hindered and opposed my 
sewing at any residence a second time, and did not permit my 
remaining longer than two weeks at the longest, at the same place, 
I persevered in earning money in the line of dressmaking. Laura 
had, apparently, become so angered at people hunting for me to 
sew for them, that she held a private consultation with her eldest 
son George; who was then a member of the Seventh-Day Ad¬ 
ventist church of Oakland, and was said to be a stock owner in 
their printing and publishing company, namely, the “Pacific Press 
Offiec,” on Castro street, between 11th and 12 streets; where 
George said he would get me a situation as an apprentice in the 
folding and book department. More than this: I could put in most 
of my day-time away from home and Laura. I therefore consented 
to take the situation in the folding and book department of the 
“Pacific Press Office,” after George S’. Manuel, my eldest said 
brother, had introduced me there as his sister; where I was to be 
paid at the rate of three dollars per week. To the best of my 
memory, it was during the month of September 1877, when I 
began my work in the folding room. I think I was on my second 
week in the folding room, when, very unexpectedly to my knowl¬ 
edge, Emma Ritchie put in an appearance to our home in the 
alley * explaining to me that she was having a short visit with her 
cousin in Oakland, where she would room for several days, during 
which time, she would spend-some of her time with us, through 
the day. I took Emma to the office with me one day, and we had 
several sociable walks and talks alone together. Emma was alone 
with Laura and I one evening at sunset, during this visit in Oak¬ 
land, when a little conversation took place between her and Laura, 
in the line of the mystery and conspiracy, that drew my attention 
in particular, and was impressed in memory as follows: 

“Say, Mrs. Colburn,” said Emma, “I noticed in a newspaper, 


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that Wallie Manuel has a G. in his name. What does the G. stand 
for?” 

“The G. stands for Gerome” said Laura, “Wallie’s middle 
name is Gerome.” 

Emma inquired: “Have you any relative by that name be¬ 
sides Wallie?” 

“No,” said Laura. 

Emma again inquired: “Why do you suppose his mother 
named him such a queer name, when she has no relative by that 
name?” 

Looking confused, hesitatingly, the red going and coming al¬ 
ternately from her cheeks, looking out of a window with her eyes 
turned from us, Laura replied to this last question: 

“Oh—Lucy heard the name—just took a fancy to it, and gave 
it to Wallie for a middle name—I suppose—that’s all the reason I 
can think of.” 

The same evening, Emma Ritchie, I sadly announce, said her 
last good-bye to me, to present writing. Several evenings after 
I had seen Emma iast, her youngest brother, Henry Ritchie, called 
at our house in the alley, having a stout, robust appearance, as did 
his sister Emma; and this proved to be the last I saw of Henry. 
According to reports brought to me by Laura at a later date, and 
vet later dates by others, whom I had no reason to disbelieve, 
Emma Ritchie died with “quick consumption” at her home in 
Napa, a few weeks after I saw her last in Oakland; and her brother 
Henry followed a few weeks after Emma’s death; and one by one 
the members of this Ritchie family followed each other to the 
grave, until only one was alive and remaining, which was the eldest 
son, James Ritchie, who survived them all. 

MR. A. A. SMITH, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON TER. 

In a letter signed, Alfred A. Smith, Seattle, Washington 
Ter., that was handed me at “Beck & Son's” furniture store, be¬ 
tween two and three weeks prior to the evening that my said 
uncle Isaac and I attended the spiritualistic meeting at the Beck 
residence, Virginia City, State of Nevada, mention was made in 
the same letter, of a red-haired lady, whom Mr. Smith said he 
had met at a clam-bake excursion, who smiled at him sweetly, 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


197 


acting as though she was infatuated with his appearance—not ap¬ 
propriate words for Mr. Smith to send to me; yet I believed it 
then, to be a ruse on Mr. Smith’s part, to mislead Laura in regards 
to our engagement, that I had not acknowledged to her. I never 
did expect a love letter from Mr. Smith, which was understood 
between us before I left Napa City, California, for the State of 
Nevada, and never did, at any time receive one with his name 
signed to it. Laura read all letters that I received in Virginia City, 
and compelled me to let her read all of my letters addressed to 
Alfred or A. A. Smith, before she carried them to mail at the 
Postoffice. During all of our acquaintance in Napa, California, 
Mr. A. A. Smith and I were given very little opportunity to con¬ 
verse without there being some one present. I had never seen Mr. 
Smith’s handwriting to know it written in pen and ink, and as I 
have previously said, did not suppose there was enough importance 
attached to our correspondence, to tempt any person to run the 
risk of interfering with our letters that were mailed or sent by 
“Wells, Fargo & Co.’s” express. 

Two days after our arrival in Oakland from Santa Rosa, I 
wrote a letter and addressed it to Mr. A. A. Smith, Seattle, W ash¬ 
ington Ter., and mailed it at the Oakland Postoffice. I called at 
the Oakland Postoffice, yet no letter was handed to me with the 
name A. A., or any other Smith signed to it. During this time, 
Laura did not forget to inquire of me every few days: 

“Have you wrote to A1 Smith yet? Have you got any letter 

from A1 Smith yet? 

My answers to her were in words to the effect: “Why should 
I worry about a man who prefers some one else, who is no longer 
interested about me? Mr. Smith has, in all probability, become 
attracted by the red-headed lady whom he met at the clam-bake 
excursion in Seattle, whom he mentioned in one of his letters, 
which was a hint, no doubt, that he desired to discontinue his cor¬ 
respondence with me. Why do you bother your head about him?” 

Laura was a contrary kind of a person with me, and these 
answers I gave her, appeared to have aroused her interest in our 
affairs more than before, and some conversation took place between 

us to the effect: 

“After a man was insulted and threatened by an old scoundrel 
like Dave Manuel; had carried a pistol to stand him off, to get to 

( 7 ) 


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talk to you and go with you ; has made you so many presents of 
jewelry; has wrote you so many letters at Virginia City; appears 
to me like he must thought considerable of you. That is what Al 
Smith has done for you. I believe a man like that is worth having.” 

“That might be true,” I replied, “though there are indications 
that he prefers the red-haired lady, from the fact that he does nor 
write to me any more.” 

I had become doubtful of Mr. Smith, for these two reasons, 
and tried to persuade Laura to give up the idea of bothering her¬ 
self about him. When it appeared that Mr. Smith was no more 
attractive to me, Laura declared: 

“I want to know what is the matter with Al Smith, and I’ve 
made up my mind to write and see if I can get any letters from 
him.” 

Then she surprised me by announcing: “George Manuel 
gave an order at the Oakland Postoffice, to have all letters ad¬ 
dressed to that office in the surname of Manuel, put in his Post- 
office box, because, he said, all people living in Oakland by that 
surname were relatives of his, and he would distribute their mail 
to them. He has taken all letters directed to you from Al Smith; 
has opened and read them, and now refuses to give them up to me.” 

“What right has he to take my letters and read them?” was my 
inquiry. 

“He don’t have any right to,” she said, “but he is so dangerous 
a man, I can’t do anything with him for it, without ruining Lucy 
and her children. Lucy’s my sister and I was to blame for her 
marrying George Manuel, and it is my duty to protect her.” 

I had not yet seen any letter with the name of Smith on it, 
since we came to Oakland. I could neither trust or depend on 
Laura as a witness, and I reasoned, that to mention or hint what 
Laura had told me, would place me in a very dangerous position, 
where I had no witness, and no protection from my said Manuel re¬ 
latives, as 1 supposed and had been educated by Laura. It was no 
longer I think, than three weeks after this conversation, when 
Laura one day called me to our front room and introduced me to 
Mr. L. P. Smith, Sr., the father of Mr. A. A. Smith, who informed 
me that his son had sent a number of letters addressed in my name 
to Oakland Postoffice, from which he had received no answers; 
that Alfred could not rest until he had promised to go and find 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


199 


out” why I had not answered his letters, and to explain matters 
and make arrangements for him with me. Mr. Smith, Sr., com¬ 
mended his son's character and honorable intentions towards me 
to such a degree, that I was persuaded that “Alfred" was not re¬ 
sponsible for my non-receipt of his letters, and was yet to me all 
that 1 had supposed him to have been when I knew him in Napa 
City. When Mr. Smith, Sr., got my promise to marry his son, 
Alfred Alcot Smith, Laura gave her sanction, acting as though the 
arrangement was satisfactory to her, as did Mr. Smith, Sr., who 
declared: 

“I believe you are the only young lady who possesses Alfred’s 
heart, or ever will." 

Mr. Smith, Sr., said he would soon be on his way to Seattle, 
Washington Ter., when on his arrival he would send “Alfred” on 
the next steamer out for San Francisco, when we could make and 
talk over our arrangements to suit ourselves. So saying, Mr. Smith 
bade us good-bye and departed from the alley. 

From the morning I missed My Mother in the old house by 
the Napa river, and found Laura in her place, I had realized that 
Laura had no love or affection for me. I had noticed her actions, 
expressions, her contradictory accounts; she had hated the little 
yellow dog, and was the cause of Dave killing it, because it loved 
me; she had thus continued in her dislikes and hatred to any and 
all that showed affection or love for me; now after all these 
years, it was not like Laura, as I knew her, to he pleased with any 
man who might have true love or admiration for me; I therefore 
wondered at her sudden show of interest and pleasure at my en¬ 
gagement and prospective marriage to Mi. Smith, and why, ap¬ 
parently, she had aided in bringing it about? When I came to 
consider the annoyance I had caused her in Oakland hunting for 
work, Lucy’s worry and annoyance, I thought that after all these 
years, it might be that Laura was glad at the prospect of marry¬ 
ing me off to Mr. Smith to get rid of me, to send me out of Califor¬ 
nia, where I would be out of Lucy’s sight and hearing; thus 

accounting for her sudden change. 

In due time for Mr. A. A. Smith’s arrival in San Francisco 

from Seattle, Washington Ter., my eldest said brother George S. 
Manuel, came home one evening* and excitedly announced. 

“A1 Smith has arrived, and is stopping at a hotel here in Oak- 


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land. I am going now to bring him here to the house. 

George hurried out of the house without giving me a chance 
to ask questions, and in due time, came accompanied by Mr. A. A. 
Smith to our home in the alley—or was it a rendezvous? This 
was my first to meet the same Air. Smith since my departure from 
Napa, California, to the State of Nevada. To be brief, Mr. Smith 
said he would be in San Francisco for several days, buying jewelry 
for Christmas and New Years, and would, during this time, call, 
if he could get time, every day or evening to see me; and Mr. 
Smith came, as he said he would, Laura acting pleased, on her 
best behavior, treating him in every respect like a desired son- 
in-law. This was not all: Laura was either present or very near 
to us, during Mr. Smith’s calls; so that very little could he said 
without her hearing. It was agreed by Laura’s consent, that Mr. 
Smith and I were to be married within two weeks after January 
first, 1878, in Oakland, and take our departure for Seattle, Wash¬ 
ington Ter. 

The only time I was alone with Mr. Smith while in the city 
of Oakland, was the day before his departure, when I accompanied 
him on a pleasure drive through the thickly populated part of the 
city. I was tempted several times on this occasion, to give Mi*. 
Smith some explanation, of how I was in the custody of a scheming 
and unreliable woman, so far as I was concerned, who was not my 
mother, and one who did not have a true mother’s interest in me. 
However, Mr. Smith appeared as though satisfied with Laura and 
the arrangement we had made, and it was not only a dangerous 
subject to talk on, but an extremely unpleasant one, when all 
appeared to be going smoothly and satisfactory that I omitted all 
mention of it. Thinking to protect ourselves and overcome the 
difficulty, should Laura prove treacherous, I talked to Mr. Smith 
on the latter question, in a manner as follows: 

“Our letters, since I came to Oakland,” said I, “have gone 
wrong, in some way, and the U. S. Mail does not appear to be 
always reliable. In order to avoid mistakes and misunderstandings, 
are you willing to promise, that in case anything like this should 
happen again as it has, to come to Oakland where we can settle any 
difficulty of this kind, by our own explanations, and without any 
third party? Or, in case we do not receive any more letters from 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


201 


each other, can I look for you in Oakland for some explanation, 
regardless of consequences?” 

To this Mr. Smith agreed in language that' was to the 
effect: 

“If I live and can get to Oakland within two weeks after New 
Years, 1878, I will come, if that will be satisfactory to you— 
letters or no letters.” 

Mr. Smith and I had no disagreement, no quarrel in the city of 
Oakland; the red-haired lady was not mentioned by me to Mr. 
Smith, his father, or by any one while I was in their presence. 

According to Laura’s account of my age, as she had taught me, 
I would not be eighteen years old or of age, until February 10th, 
1879; and could not, therefore, marry or leave her custody with¬ 
out her consent until then. Laura explained to me when Mr. 
Smith had gone, that on account of G. W. Manuel, of 678 14th and 
Castro streets, getting letters addressed to all persons by the 
surname of Manuel, at Oakland, that she would write to Mr. Smith 
and have him direct his letters to me in envelopes directed in her 
name, Laura C. Colburn, to prevent George Manuel from getting 
my letters. Whatever the cause, or however it came about, the 
two weeks after New Years, 1878, came and past, and more weeks 
passed, and Mr. A. A. Smith failed to appear in Oakland accord¬ 
ing to our agreement, or at any other time after, that I have knowl¬ 
edge of, and it was, to the best of my memory, during the month 
of February, 1878, when I,aura handed me a sealed envelope ad¬ 
dressed: “Miss Nellie Manuel, Oakland, Alameda County, Cal.,” 
that she said came in an envelope addressed to her. I opened and 
read the contents of this envelope in her presence, which she 
also read, that was a wedding card, of which the following is a 
likeness of the wording, as I remember it, without the date of 
the day or month, which I do not remember exact: 

“Married, ., ., 1878, 

Mr. Alfred A. Smith, 
to 

Miss Lorena M. Hanson, 

Seattle, Washington Ter.” 




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LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


Accompanying this wedding card, was a small, single sheet 
of paper containing a coarse, ugly pen and ink handwriting, that 
was a notification to the sum and effect, that Air. Smith was 
married; which would account for his non-appearance in Oakland. 
The wording- of this short letter was insulting and abusive in the 
extreme, and did not resemble the handwriting of the letters 
handed to me in Wells, Fargo & Co.’s express envelopes, at Vir¬ 
ginia City, Nevada. I remember of reading three letters handed 
me by Laura to read, after Mr. Smith left our alley in Oakland, 
saying that he was leaving for Washington Ter., and prior to 
my receipt of his wedding card, that did not resemble the hand¬ 
writing contained in the express envelopes, with Alfred A. Smith, 
Seattle, Washington Ter., signed to them. They had a sounding 
when read, as though some woman had been the composer of 
them, and noticeably unlike the language of Mr. Smith, which I 
more readily detected, after our late conversations in the city ot 
Oakland. 

To show the line of conspiracy, it will now be necessary to 
give account of my eldest said brother, the eldest said son of 
Laura C. and David Manuel (the latter of whom was one of the 
four said Manuel brothers of California, who to my knowledge 
and others, was also known in Napa county, California, as David 
A. Manuel, and very well known there as a brother to the said 
and alleged George W. Manuel, both supposed, or known to be 
of a dark race of people called Mexicans. George S. Manuel, 
according to his said mother and his accounts, was born in the 
State of Illinois, and was, according to what I heard Laura say, 
twenty-one years of age, during the latter part of the summer or 
autumn of 1874. The same George S. Manuel was said to be the 
brother of Louis and Augustus Manuel, and myself, Eleanor and 
Nellie Manuel, .and a half-brother to Geneva Colburn. George S., 
as I knew and heard of him when a resident of Napa County, be¬ 
came an employe of Dr. Pond's drug store, on Main Street, Napa 
City, in 1869 ; where he continued until the latter part of summer 
or autumn of 1874, when he was said to have become a resident 
of Oakland, Alameda County, State of California. George S. was 
a white boy, and said to have been a graduate of the “College In¬ 
stitute,” of Napa County, before he became an employe of Dr. 
Pond’s drug store, in 1869. In book learning, George S. widely 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


203 


differed from his said father, mother, brothers and half-sister, and, 
so far as I knew him, was not in the habit of using profane or 
indecent language in the presence of women or ladies, as did his 
said father, the ruffian. If George S. resembled either his said 
father or mother in facial features, with a family resemblance, I 
did not observe it. George S. was better looking than any of 
Laura’s children, namely, Louis and Augustus Manuel, and Geneva 
Colburn; and proved to be more intellectual, than any one or three 
of them put together. However, I often heard George announce: 

“I have no gift as a singer or musician; but if I had a gift of 

gab, according to my knowledge, I wouldn’t have to work for a 

1 * • 
lv-ing. 

Whatever might have been the cause, George S’.' Manuel was 
not sociable with me most all of the years while employed in Dr. 
Pond’s drug store, acting most of the time as though I was an ob¬ 
jectionable boarder, whom it was necessary to endure. In fact, 
George’s treatment and actions towards me, had no resemblance 
to that of a natural brother, or were indicative that he believed 
me to be his sister. From the time George S. departed from Napa 
City in 1874, I did not get a letter from him, and he had expressed 
no wish to receive any from me. My first to meet him after his 
departure from that town in 1875, was at the city of Oakland, in 
1877. 

From the time that George S. gave me notification of “A1 
Smith’s” arrival in the city of Oakland, he began, apparently, to 
take sudden interest in me and my affairs, as he had never done 
before; became friendly, inviting me to accompany him to church; 
and George had tried to persuade me not to marry “A1 Smith,” 
saying, “I believe you will regret it if you do.” George told me I 
ought to consider myself fortunate that “A1 Smith” had married 
another, and I resumed my situation in the “Pacific Press Office,” 
that I had given up. From the date that Laura handed me the 
envelope containing the insulting, abusive letter and wedding- 
card of Mr. Alfred A. Smith and Miss Lorena M. Hanson, Laura 
expressed her determination to take her three children and hus¬ 
band to Seattle, Washington Ter., to live, with a notification that 
I must accompany her there. Had I sought revenge on Mr. Smith 
and his bride, as appeared, I would have made up my mind then 
and there, to go with Laura to Seattle, Washington Ter.; for I 


204 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


knew of no woman, whom I thought more capable of making the 
situation more interesting for Mr. Smith and his bride, than Laura, 
where she could safely do so and the law would justify her, not 
yet comprehending Laura’s conspiracy, of which I have no doubts 
I was designed to be a victim, before our arrival in Washington 

Ter. 

While at home in daytime, between November 1877 and Feb¬ 
ruary, 1878, Lucy dodged in and out of the alley more frequently 
than before or after, having private interviews and consultations 
with her sister Laura, acting as though giving unusual attention 
to some scheme or serious affair that was going on secietly, and 
crivincr them an extra amount of concern and worry; of which they 
were cautious about letting me hear—yet with all their precau¬ 
tions, there were occasions, when winds and breezes proving 
favorable, wafted to my hearing while seated in another room at 
an open window, some names and fragments of their conversation, 
that were links in the chain of mystery and conspiracy, which can 
be understood by my accounts and evidence when concluded. Of 
these names and fragments that continued in memory, I explain 
and quote the following: 

I understood from Lucy talking, that some woman by the 
name of “Susan Coburn,” was writing at various places, making 
inquiries about persons of the name of “Manuel”; from which she 
was furnishing Lucy with some information by correspondence. 
With the exception of two places, I heard no name or address as to 
the places the said “Susan Coburn” had sent or received informa¬ 
tion of persons by the surname of “Manuel”; neither heard from 
them the location of this “Susan Coburn’s” place of residence. 
At another date, Lucy called in the alley soon after breakfast, from 
which interview, I heard Lucy say she had brought a letter to read 
with some news in it, that contained names of persons having the 
surname of “Manuel”; which she read to Laura in a low tone of 
voice, though speaking the names more distinctly, I heard and 
remembered some of them, that were, as I understood, first names 
of persons having the surname of Manuel, namely: “Wilder, Gard¬ 
ner, Roswell, Henry, Samuel.” I also heard Lucy say there was a 
Manuel living at Rincon Hill, San Francisco, and one at Monte¬ 
rey. I remember no more of the reading of this letter than two 
sentences, that were peculiar expressions, which Lucy read a little 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


205 


louder and several times to Laura, excepting the name of the 
mother, that she either whispered, or read so low I could not hear, 
which I quote from memory: 

“When ., the mother died, the family went 

to pieces. They were a nice family, up to this time.” 

Some of the fragments of conversation were again wafted to 
my hearing by breezes at another date, which I quote from mem¬ 
ory : 

Lucy said to Laura: “George's mother was a black looking 
woman —Susan hated her—She was so wicked—Susan’s name was 
Mrs. French before her name was Coburn.” 

Who this Susan Coburn was, I did not hear them say, more 
than I have related and quoted in the foregoing. A few days after 
the conversation about Susan Coburn, early one morning before 
breakfast. I heard raps at our front door and started to go to the 
door, when Laura detained me, saying, “Go back to the dining 
room and stay there till I come—I’ll go to the door.” In her haste 
to get to the door, she forgot to glance backward and see me 
standing in the door leading to the front room. She opened and 
closed the door after her leading to the alcove, when I heard the 
front door open and some one enter. Then I heard the said Lucy 
Manuel’s voice of 678 14th and Castro streets, saying: 

"Oh—Laura! I’ve had an awful night of it! George had the 
horrors last night, and kept saying, ‘There he is—see him Lucy— 
there he is!’” 

From these expressions of Lucy, I understood her to mean 
her husband, and said and alleged G. W. Manuel (one of the four) 
had again been visited by the apparition of My Father, or the 
apparition of the man whom I so strongly resembled; because of 
which, Lucy was afraid to have George W. set eyes on me. It 
was at, or near, the latter part of May, 1878, when I came home 
from the office at noon one day, was near the dining room door, 
when Laura’s brother Isaac Griswold opened the door, confronted 
me with a confused expression and manner, as though he had met 
me entirely by accident—uttered the words, “How do Nellie (?)” 
and beat a hasty retreat backwards into the dining room, closing 
the door in my face and after him—strange conduct of one said 
to be my uncle, whom I had not met since the evening we parted 
after the spiritualistic meeting at Virginia City, State of Nevada. 




206 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


When I returned home in the evening, Laura informed me that 
Isaac’s wife Katie, had died at Napa City, and that he was going 
with them to Seattle, Washington Ter. No explanation or apology 
was offered for his strange conduct towards me, and this proved 
to be my first and last to see Isaac at our home in the alley. 

I had earned enough money to buy all of my personal effects, 
since my arrival in Oakland, which Laura had demanded, not al¬ 
lowing me to retain money in my possession, excepting thirty 
dollars that I had saved and locked in my trunk for safe keeping. 
It was only a few days after Isaac Griswold met me, when Mr. 
Colburn notified me one evening on my return home from the 
office, that my said brothers, Louis and Augustus, had obtained 
a key to fit the lock of my trunk, which they had opened and had 
taken some of the money that I had saved. Mr. Colburn was, or 
pretended to be, very much incensed at the boys for taking the 
money, and at Laura for allowing them. When I searched my 
trunk, I found only $1.50 remaining, of the thirty dollars I had 
earned and saved. The boys told me confidentially, a few days 
after, that Laura was the one who took most of the money; that 
they only took $5.00, with which they bought candies, nuts and 
cakes for themselves. However, not one in the family refunded 
any amount of the money taken. 

I was determined not to go to Washington Ter. with Laura, 
and consulted George S. on the subject, who advised me not to go, 
that he would help me out. George advised me to let the family 
think I was going with them to Washington Ter., until they 
would have most of the furniture on the truck, ready to be con¬ 
veyed to the steamer at San Francisco, when he would be on time 
with an expressman to take my trunk to a room that he would 
have rented and in readiness for me, at the residence of a Mrs. 
Baker, who was forewoman of the folding room, of the “Pacific 
I less Office. true to his word, George arrived with an express- 
man, as the truck was being loaded with the furniture, when they 
seized both trunks belonging to George and myself, carried them to 
the express wagon, causing Laura surprise, apparently, anger and 
excitement; Laura insisting on my going with her to Washington 
1 er., and George S. insisting on my remaining at Oakland. 

“Well. Nellie must go with us to San Francisco, to see us off 
on tne steamer, said Laura, She may yet change her mind and go 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


207 


with ns to Seattle.” To help George out of his difficulty with 
Laura, I agreed to go and see them off. 

“Be sure you don't go on the steamer with them,” said George 
to me privately,” then went away with the expressman and our 
trunks, and did not accompany us to San Francisco. 

We walked some distance from the street car at San Francisco 
to the wharf, the two boys walking with Mr. Colburn ahead, and 
I with Laura and Geneva. As we neared the wharf, Mr. Colburn 
with the boys hurried along, leaving us some distance behind, 
went aboard the steamer and disappeared from our view, without 
saying good-bye to me, as I had expected, Laura, all the while, 
endeavoring to persuade me to go with her to Seattle. 

“It will be half an hour yet before they get all- of the freight 
on the steamer, and you will have plenty of time to go on board 
and take a look at the boat,” said Laura. 

I then accompanied her to the deck of the steamer. 

“Come with me to the other side of the cabin and I’ll show 
you my stateroom. You’ve got plenty of time before they get 
her loaded,” Laura repeated. 

“If you think I have plenty of time, you lead the way, ’ 
said I. 

When Laura had turned her back and was on her way to her 
stateroom, a sudden impulse seized me to run down the gangway 
and make my escape from the steamer, which I obeyed, and had no 
more than reached the wharf, when 1 turned suddenly and got a 
glimpse of Isaac Griswold and Henry S. Colburn, gazing at me 
through a dead light of the steamer, withdrawing their faces at 
my glance, as though it was not their intention to have me see 
them; the expression of their faces reminding me of two thieves, 
whose whereabouts had suddenly been discovered. This was the 
last time I saw my said uncle Isaac Griswold, and I have never seen 
any member of his family, to know them, since my departure from 
Napa, in 1876. I never at any time, received a letter from any one 
of them, or one from Isaac, that I know of. Not one of them ex¬ 
pressed any wish to me that they would like to get a letter from me. 

Geneva could not yet speak my name plainly, and said “Nene,” 
for Nellie. She had given no attention to her father and half 
brothers’ absence. Laura missing me, had returned to see me 
standing on the wharf, as the gang plank was being withdrawn 


208 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


-—I had barely escaped—no more. I stood on the wharf viewing 
the steamer as it moved away with Laura on deck holding Geneva 
in her arms, who struggled and screamed until out of my hearing, 
repeating: “Nene! Oh—Nene!” 

Several weeks after Laura’s departure from Oakland with her 
family, I decided to return to Mr. Smith all of the jewelry that he 
had presented to me, and packed it with cotton, in a jewelry box, 
that I had weighed at the Oakland Postoffice, on which I placed 
more stamps than required, and addressed to Alfred A. Smith, 
vSeattle, Washington Ter. This was the last I saw of this jewelry. 
Whether Mr. Smith got it or not, is more than I know. 

As evidence and justification of what I have related in this and 
foregoing SKETCHES in regards to Mr. Alfred Alcot Smith, of 
Seattle, and what is now State of Washington, and evidence to 
some other accounts herein, I sent a responsible person to have 
an interview with the same Mr. Smith; to give him some expla¬ 
nation as to how I had been wronged; who said that he was willing 
to sign an affidavit for me, with the understanding that it was to 
be for publication; that he had some grievance of his own. express¬ 
ing a willingness to sign more, if I so desired. 

Strange, it appears—according to Court records—Mr. Smith 
married a Miss Loruna M. Hanson; though not until a year after 
I had been handed their wedding card in Oakland, California, by 
Laura, in 1878; and, as it appears from Court records, their mar¬ 
riage did not occur until the year of 1879; of which the following 
is a certified copy : 

339 No. 1. 

Smith TERRITORY OF WASHINGTON { 

to COUNTY OF KING j ss< 

Hanson 

This certifies that the undersigned, a clergyman by authority of a 
license bearing date the 15th day of January, A. D. 1879, and issued by 
the County Auditor of the County of King, did, on the 15th day of Janu¬ 
ary, A. D. 1879, at the residence of bride’s parents, in Seattle, County 
and Territory aforesaid, join in lawful wedlock, Alfred A. Smith and 
Loruna M. Hanson, of the County of King, with their mutual assent, in 
the presence of Martha Hanson and T. A. Jensen, witnesses. 

Witness my hand, this 15th day of January, A. D. 1879. 

JOHN F. DAMON, 

Minister of the Gospel. 

Filed April 17, 1879. Recorded April 19, 1879. 

THOMAS BURKE, 
Judge & Ex. off Clerk of the Probate. 

Court of King County, W. T. 

Marriage Record A. Page 176. 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


209 


STATE OF WASHINGTON { 

COUNTY OF KING j ss ‘ 

I, D. K. Sickels, County Clerk of King County and ex-officio Clerk 
of the Superior Court of the State of Washington for the County of 
King, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a full, true and corcct 
copy of the Marriage Certificate of Alfred A. Smith and Loruna M. Han¬ 
son, as the same appears on file and record in my office. 

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and 
affixed the seal of the said Superior Court at my office, this 3rd day of 
November, A. D. 1911. 

D. K. SICKELS, 

County Clerk. 

Court \ By PERCY F. THOMAS, 

Seal ( Deputy Clerk. 


No. 2. 

THE WORDING OF OFFIDAVIT SIGNED BY ALFRED ALCOT 

SMITH. 

STATE OF WASHINGTON 

COUNTY OF KING j ss ‘ 

Mr. Alfred Alcot Smith, being first duly sworn on oath deposes and 
says: That he is sixty-one years of age; that during the years 1874-75 
and 76 he was a resident of Napa City, Napa County, California; 
that during these years I was personally acquainted with Miss Nellie 
Manuel, who was a young girl, who might have been fifteen, six¬ 
teen or seventeen years of age, and was living with Henry S. Colburn 
and Laura C. Colburn, both of whom I was personally well acquainted 
with, and it was generally understood that Henry S. Colburn was the 
step-father of Miss Nellie Manuel and that Laura C. Colburn was 
her mother; that at said time, there was living in Napa City a man 
known as David Manuel with whom I was well acquainted. He was a 
man apparently forty-five to fifty years old; he was pock-marked, had 
small black eyes, black-complexioned and black hair; he appeared to be 
a full-blooded Mexican. There was always an haunted expression on 
the countenance of said David Manuel and he was known to be a very 
profane man; he was quite heavy set, muscular, but not very tall. At 
this time Miss Nellie Manuel had brothers, or alleged brothers, namely: 
George Manuel, Louis and Augustus Manuel, who were known in Napa 
City to be the sons of David Manuel and his former wife, Laura C. Col¬ 
burn. and to be the step-sons of Henry S. Colburn. George, the eldest 
son was then a young man apparently not less than eight years older 
than his sister, or alleged sister, Miss Nellie Manuel. Louis and Au¬ 
gustus were near of an age and were younger than George and Nellie. 

This same Henry S. Colburn had two daughters, namely, Carrie and 
Anna Belle Colburn, who were known in Napa City, and Laura C. Col¬ 
burn was known to be their step-mother. During that time there were 
two young men who were known in Napa City as, namely: Will De- 
weese and Ben Deweese, with whom I was acquainted. The latter two 
vouno- men and I made calls at the home of Henry S. Colburn and Laura 
C Colburn to see Misses Nellie Manuel, Carrie and Anna Belle Colburn. 
At this time I was engaged to be married to Miss Nellie Manuel, and 
after I came North to the State of Washington, in the year 1876, I cor¬ 
responded with said Miss Nellie Manuel; but I always mailed said let¬ 
ters to her through the United States Postal Service and never at any 



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time did I send letters to her by express. That the above named David 
Manuel claimed to be the father of Nellie Manuel, and the divorced hus¬ 
band of Mrs. Laura C. Colburn; but it was generally thought and be¬ 
lieved by myself and others that there was no resemblance in facial, 
personal characteristics or peculiarities between the said David Manuel 
and Mrs. Laura C. Colburn and their supposed daughter, Nellie Manuel. 
Miss Nellie Manuel, when I knew her in Napa City, was a white girl 
and a blonde. She could sing, dance and had uncommonly small hands; 
which were not characteristic of any of the Manuels that I knew; she 
was well-behaved, lady-like in manners; and I never saw or knew of 
anything detrimental to her character. 

When Mr. Henry S. and Laura C. Colburn left Virginia City, State 
of Nevada, and resided in Oakland, State of Colifornia, I received no 
letters from Miss Nellie Manuel and sent my father to see her. When 
my father returned to the State of Washington 1 also took a trip to Oak¬ 
land to see her, when and where it was agreed between Miss Nellie, 
Mrs. Laura C. Colburn and myself that I was to marry Miss Nellie Manu¬ 
el after New Years, of 1878. 

I have heard Miss Nellie Manuel address her supposed mother, Mrs. 
Laura C. Colburn, as '‘Laura,” but never heard her address Mrs. Laura 
C. Colburn as mother, who was known and recognized in Napa City, 
State of California, as her mother. 

I write this of my own free will and accord 


ALFRED ALCOT SMITH. 
Subscribed and sworn to this 15th day of July, 1911. 

ERNEST M. FARMER, 

Notary Public in and for State of Washington, at 

Seattle, King County, Washington. 


Notary | 
Seal j 


It will be seen from the Affidavit of Mr. Alfred Alcot Smith, 
that years have passed since the years of this and foregoing- SKET¬ 
CHES containing mention of Smiths, and, since our last adieu in 
the city of Oakland, Alameda Comity, California, I have not seen, 
up to the year of 1912, the same Mr. Smith, or have yet heard any 
explanation as to why he failed to keep his agreement with me at 
Oakland and married another. It is a question, whether the same 
Mr. Smith ever saw a letter written by me, or that I ever saw a 
letter written by him. Mrs. Loruna M. Smith, wife of Mr. 
Alfred Alcot Smith, acknowledged before witnesses that her hair 
was formerly red. I have never beheld the contenance of the same 
lady, that I have knowledge of, who is reputed to be wealthy and 
flourishing, the mother of six children, and living with her husband 
Alfred Alcot Smith, at Alki Point, Seattle, State of Washington, 
in the year of 1911. 



LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


211 


SKETCH 34. 

SOME ACCOUNTS OF MY EXPERIENCE IN THE CITY 
OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, AFTER LAURA’S 

DEPARTURE IN 1878. . 

My eldest said brother George S. and I remained in Oakland 
after Laura’s departure with her family to Seattle, Washington 
Ter. We both had rooms at the residence of Mrs. Sylvia M. Baker, 
forewoman of the folding room, Pacific Press Office. Aftei 
George had roomed there several weeks, he changed his rooming 
place and told me it was in one of the office buildings, though I 
have no positive knowledge as to where he roomed, after he left the 
Baker residence. Next to the residence of Mrs. Baker was the 
residence of her eldest son, Ghershon Baker, who was a continued 

employe of the “Pacific Press Office. ’ 

One part of 'the block where the Baker residences weie 
located, was a grove of live-oak trees, that was fenced with a 
cross-board fence and reserved for a park. I had passed through 
the park unmolested, at least six months since Laura’s departure, 
to and from the Baker residence to the office, that were about 
five blocks apart, when, one evening at sunset and near the date of 
my eighteenth birthday, at the center of the park, I was warned 
by a sudden shock and influence of some friendly power, invisible 
to my sight, who transmitted to my understanding instantly, that 
someone was near by, whose intention was to murder me—to 
flee from the park and save my life, causing me to tremble and 
o-asp for breath. Then, I remembered of running—whether I 
ran all the way or not, was more than I knew, when I found or 
realized that I was standing on the sidewalk at a corner of the 
park by the residence of Ghershon Baker; when I stood and gazed 
through the park and in every direction-no person was visible 
to my & sight; whereas, it was the only occurrence I remembered ot 
seeing no person on the streets near the park at the same hour. 
There could have been more than one person concealed among tie 

thick foliage in the tiees. , T 

I had felt safe and at home at the Baker house, yet when 1 

went to my room and retired for the night, I awoke several times 

with fright, gasping for breath. I thought of my warning m the 


212 


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park, with such dread of passing through or by it any more, that I 
resolved to stay up the remainder of the night, to pack up ail 
my effects and not return to the Baker residence the evening 
following. Was it imagination, or was it real? I fancied or felt 
the presence of'someone standing in the hall by my door, that 
was locked and fastened as secure as I could make it. Quietly, 
with trembling and fear, I packed my effects ready to be trans¬ 
ferred, and anxiously waited and watched without unlocking my 
door, until time to depart for the office in the morning. I did not 
menton during this day, my fright in the park the evening previous, 
and expressed no wish or intention to change my rooming place ; 
excepting to one person at noon, a Mrs. James, who resided on 
11th street, in the next block below the “Pacific Press Office, 
where I went to rent a room. 

“I have had a number of applications for rooms from the 
office employes,” said Mrs. James, “whom I have refused in every 
instance. I have enough to support myself, without renting any 
of my rooms, but there is something about your face and sound 
of your voice that I like. It is rather lonesome and unsafe for one 
of my age to live here in this house alone, and I will rent you 
mv front room for half the price you pay for your room at sister 
Baker’s, as an accommodation to you and company for myself.” 

“It will be very much of an accommodation to room near the 
office,” said I, “and hope you will like me, as well as I think I 
shall like you. Would you have any objections to my taking posses¬ 
sion of the room this evening and remaining in it tonight? I can 
have brother Baker bring my trunk and other articles in his express 
wagon tomorrow.” 

“As soon as you like,” said Mrs. James. 

We had a sociable evening together and my sleep was sound 
that night at the house of Mrs. James, having had no sleep to speak 
of the night before. Mrs. Baker and most of the employes of the 
folding room were present when I entered in the morning. 

“Why—Nellie! Where did you come from?” was the general 
inquiry. 

“Why do you ask me that question?” I replied. 

“You were not in your room last night, and it was the first 
night you have been absent since you have lived with us. Where 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


213 


were you last night? I have nearly worried myself sick over it,” 
said Mrs. Baker. 

“I staid all night at the house of Mrs. James,” I said, “I did not 
think you would be worried.” 

“Did you know a murder was committed in the center of the 
same park, at the same time you are in the habit of passing through 
there evenings, that the person murdered was a girl about your age 
and size?” said one. 

“No. How horrible!” I exclaimed, “This is my first to hear of 
it. Who murdered her and why was she murdered?” 

Several present informed me to the effect: That the body of 
the murdered girl was yet warm, when discovered in the same 
park at dusk, indicative that she had been killed the same time in 
the evening that I had been in the habit of passing through there; 
that the cause and the slayer was not yet known or suspected. 

“What I would like to know,” said Mrs. Baker, “is why and 
how you staid away from our house and was so fortunate as not 
to pass through the park last evening the same time the murder 
was committed?” 

I explained: “Sister Baker, I felt at home at your house, liked 
my room and accommodations there; but night before last, while 
passing through the park, there was such a fear came over me, that 
I trembled with fright; though I neither saw nor heard any per¬ 
son in or near the park. I went to my room and could neither 
sleep nor get over the fright, and made up my mind not to enter 
or go near that park—for some time—if ever again. My only 
preventative, was to change my rooming place, which I did. Now 
you know why I was absent fiom your house the evening and 

night of the murder.” 

“You were warned by some unseen power or influence,” was 
the general response. 

Though I kept it a secret, it was my opinion beyond doubt, 
that a mistake had been made; that I was the intended victim of the 
slayer of the unfortunate. As it was necessary to try to keep up 
my health and strength to earn a living, I did not read the news¬ 
paper accounts of the murder because of my apprehensions and so 
little time to spare ; yet the same murder was much talked about at 
the office, from whom my last information about it was: That 


214 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


the real cause of the murder and the slayer, had not yet been 
discovered. There ought not to be any difficulty in obtaining the 
proof of this murder committed, by those desiring it, from the Oak¬ 
land and San Francisco newspapers, of California. 

A JOURNEY TO FRESNO COUNTY, STATE OF 

CALIFORNIA. 

A summer evening of 1879, Mrs. James notified me there were 
acres of land on the plains of Fresno that she wished to locate 
and view, proposing that I get a leave of absence from the office 
and accompany her there; that she would defray all expenses. 
Being 1 in need of a little vacation to strengthen my nerves, I had 
no difficulty in obtaining the leave of absence from the office, and 
gladly accepted her invitation. 

Seated in the railway train at Oakland, we arrived in the then 
new town of Fresno, a short time before sunset after a very warm, 
though enjoyable ride, where we were met at the train by a Mr. 
Harper, late of Oakland, who gave us a glad and welcome greet¬ 
ing, inquiring what we thought of the appearance of the new town 
on the plains? Hot, dusty and barren, was the sum of our re¬ 
sponse, causing brother Harper to have a real laugh, as though 
we were beginning to realize some of a joke that had been ex¬ 
perienced by himself. We had implicit confidence in Bro. Harper, 
so far as his character and honorable intentions were taken into 
consideration, yet Mr. Harper was a younth in years, a new and 
inexperienced member of the Seventh-Day Adventist denomina¬ 
tion, and very little acquainted with people in Fresno, apparently, 
believing all in the church to be good brothers and sisters—no 
doubt. Mr. Harper took us from the train to a rough looking, 
one story, unpainted house, that apparently sat flat on the ground, 
where he introduced us to an elderly woman, addressed as sister 
Church, whom I recognized with surprise—surprises continuing 
with me—to be no other, than the same Mrs. Church, whom I had 
known in Napa City, years ago, when I first lived with Dave and 
Laura, after the disappearance of David Manuel and others I was 
with. Mrs. Church greeted me like a mother would a daughter, 
whom she had discovered after years of absence; then came her 
husband, Mr. M. J. Church, whom I recognized at firsh sight—• 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


215 


old time associates of Dave and Laura—whom I had not seen so 
many years, and this was my first to know of and to discover their 
whereabouts—accidental on my part—since the murder committed 
in Dave’s blacksmith shop in 1867. 

“Here is little Nellie, we knew years ago,” said Mrs. Church. 

Mr. Church shook hands and greeted me like an old-time 
friend. I had liked this family when a child; they always acted 
like friends when I met and visited at their home in Napa, and I 
had no suspicions now that any one of them might know or be 
implicated in the cause of the absence of My Father, My Mother, 
or the missing Manuels, or that they were in any way implicated in 
the mysterious murder committted in Dave’s blacksmith shop in 
1867. When Mrs. James invited me to accompany her to Fresno, 

I had no idea that I had ever been in that County, or' would meet 
any one there that I had known. 

“This Church family are old-time friends of mine,” I explained 

to her. 

They were so friendly and sociable, they caused me to feel like 
I was at home with them. I had often inquired about them of 
Laura, who denied all knowledge of them or their whereabouts, 
when I missed them at Napa. 1 had a good opinion of them then, 
wishing they would not mention Dave or Laura to me. They did 
not, neither once spoke the name of Manuel in my presence, while 
with them at this time. Though the thought did not occur to me 
then that they never had yet spoken the name of Manuel in my pre¬ 
sence, when I knew them years ago in Napa. Mrs. James and I 
occupied a room together and ate at their home when in town. 

At day-break, after the evening of our arrival, Mr. Harper 
drove up to the front door of the Church home, in a two-seated, 
two-horse carriage, supplied with water, provisions and camping 
outfit for our party of three, Mrs. James, Mr. Harper and myself, 
to take a journey on the plains to locate the land that Mrs. James 
wished to view. We traveled miles in succession, on the hot plains, 
barren of trees, shrubbery, or anything green, passing citric-acid 
water drinks around. Only the outlines of mountains or hills were 
here discernable in the far distance, and no building or human form 
met our gaze in any directon. Here, sand toads and galloping 
lizzards abounded, and ground owls gave lonesome hoots as we 
passed by. These were real curios, that broke the vast loneliness 


216 


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to some extent. Mr. Harper gathered a sand toad with a crown¬ 
like head, that was a real wonder, which I held for some hours as 
a pet, that was soon tamed. 

We traveled until near 3 p. m., before we came to the land 
Mrs. James had come to view, which had the same appearance as 
all the other land on the plains we had seen or passed over. The 
heat was now something fierce, and drinks increased; fortunately, 
we drank no intoxicants. Several miles in front of us now appeared 
a beautiful sheet of water, fringed with trees and foliage that was 
enticing in the extreme; which Mr. Harper informed us was a 
mirage, from which many a thirsty traveler had lost their lives in 
their continuous travel to reach it. 

Near sunset we came to a fenced enclosure, where was a small 
house, a two-story barn well filled with grain; the only buildings 
we had seen since leaving the town of Fresno; where dwelt a white 
man and a feminine of the Indian race. There was not room in the 
house for our accommodations, and Mr. Harper made arrangements 
with the man for our horses in the barn, and the privilege of pitch¬ 
ing our tent in the yard for the night. There was a well in the 
yard, a dog house, to which a ferocious bulldog was chained. We 
prepared coffee and supper by campfire, after the manner of camp¬ 
ers; conversed about the intense heat of the plains, mirrages, sand 
toads, owls, the peculiarity of galloping lizzards, until late in the 
evening, to an accompaniment of the barking bulldog. We retired 
for the night and the bulldog continued. 

Before daylight, Mrs. James said: “I wonder what makes the 
dog keep up such a continual barking?” 

“It sounds to me like he is trying to say, go home! go home! 
and I have an idea that is what he means,” said I. 

“I have an idea the best thing we can do is to take his advice,” 
said Mrs. James, “We cannot leave here any too soon to suit me. 
I will dress now and wake up Bro. Harper. By being quiet, I 
think we can get the horses out of the barn and all in readiness, 
before the occupants are aware of it. I have a notion or intuition, 
it will be the wisest thing we can do. We can have our meals some 
miles nearer town.” 

The resolve of Mrs. James was immediately in operation. The 
noise of the dog prevented our movements from being heard by the 
occupants of the house, and we were away in time, early before 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


217 


sunrise. After another hot day’s journey, we safely arrived at the 
Church home, where we ate supper and gave accounts of our jour¬ 
ney on the plains, to the amusement of the Churches. 

Early next morning, Mrs. Church proposed that we accompany 
her to their former home in the Church Colony, a distance of 
between six and eight miles, where we were to gather several 
boxes of grapes to take home with us, as a gift from her. Mrs. 
James and I accompanied Mrs. Church with her driver, on what 
proved to be a pleasant drive, to the Church Colony; where was an 
old, two-story white-painted house, with outside stairs at the side. 
Mrs. Church did not invite us to enter this house that she said was 
then unoccupied, near which was an old unpainted barn. They 
both stood in an old orchard and vineyard that had seen their best 
days. There was very little fruit on the trees then, yet the grapes 
were nice, and plenty of them, with which we filled our boxes. 
Mr. M. J. Church did not accompany us to any place, but had our 
boxes of grapes in readiness and placed aboard the train for us 
the morning following, when we thanked Mr. and Mrs. Church, 
bade them adieu and boarded the train for Oakland. We enjoyed 
our homeward ride, arriving in Oakland safely, feeling no worse 
and some better, after our journey to the vast plains of Fresno. 

WARNINGS OF DANGER. 

On a corner of 11th and Castro streets, City of Oakland, was 
a small grove of live-oak trees; one of which stood in the sidewalk 
on 11th street, between this corner and the residence of Mrs. James. 
During all of my time in Oakland, I never once heard or knew of 
any person being molested or in danger, while passing on the side¬ 
walk at this place, excepting myself. Here I had been in the habit 
of passing to and from my work at the office to the James resi¬ 
dence, undisturbed during day-light, but when I attempted to 
cross 11th Street at dusk to this corner described, in the autumn of 
1879, I was seized with fear and an understanding from some in¬ 
visible power and influence that some dangerous and brutal man 
was concealed behind one of the trees, awaiting my arrival on the 
sidewalk by the grove. I immediately turned back towards the 
office and came home another way, undisturbed. This warning 
caused me to be careful about passing at dusk or after dark at 


218 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


the place described for awile. For some reason, I do not now 
remember, I again attempted to cross 11th street at dusk, when I 
was warned at the same place and in the same manner as before. 
This time I returned to the office yard, from where I passed 
accompanied, through the yard of a private dwelling to lltli street, 
opposite the James residence, where the outline of a man was 
plainly discernable, standing by the tree in the sidewalk, where he 
was concealed from my view from the other side, where the 
warning came to me. At the sound of our voices, the man sud¬ 
denly ran into the darkness of the grove, where he disappeared 
from sight like one pursued. 


LAURA, WITH HER HUSBAND AND CHILDREN 

ARRIVE AT OAKLAND. 

An afternoon of the autumn of 1881, I was notified by an em¬ 
ploye of the “Pacific Press Office’’: “Your mother with her family 
are at the Market Street Station, and send word for you to meet 
them there.’’ 

I went to the Market Street Station as directed, where I found 
them. 

Mr. Colburn said they had just arrived from the Sandwich 
Islands; were on their way to southern California and had “stopped 
over on their way to see how Carrie and I were coming out,” and 
have a little visit with me. 

“Lolly worries all the time when you are away from her,” 
said Mr. Colburn. “She wouldn't stay at Seattle or the Sand¬ 
wich Islands, because you was away from her.” 

The same morning, Mrs. James notified me that she was go¬ 
ing away on a visit and would not return for several days, leaving 
me in full access and control of her home until her ruturn. I took 
the family with me to the residence of Mrs. James, where they re¬ 
mained three nights. I continued with my work in the office 
through the day and entertained them evenings. They were all 
glad, or pretended to be, to see me. Mr. Colburn said he would 
call at the residence of Mrs. Hayes to see his daughter Carrie, and 
find how she was “coming out.” On his return, he notified me 
that Carrie had gone from the home of Mrs. Hayes and had left 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


219 


Oakland. The first morning of their arrival, Laura’s sister Lucy 
called at the James residence, where I met her at the front door. 

“Can I see Laura, and have a talk with her a few minutes?" 
was Lucy's request. 

“Certainly,” I said, “come in, have a chair, and I will vacate 
until you are through.” 

Mr. Colburn, Laura, Louis and Augustus informed me they had 
lived in or near Seattle, Washington Ter., a year or more, where 
Mr. Colburn bought a piece of ground and built them a house to 
live in ; that they were there during the year of 1878; that Isaac 
Griswold, the brother of Laura and Lucy, was also living there 
with his family. Laura, Louis and Augustus, informed me that 
“A1 Smith,” with his red-headed wife and their child, were also 
residents of the same place during the year of 1878. 

“Lolly,” Mr. Colburn said, “took a notion in her head to take 
a voyage to the Sandwich Islands, where we lived a little longer 
than a year.” 

Laura informed me privately, to the sum and effect: “They 
are building up a new town in southern California called Fresno, 
where they say wages is good and land can be bought pretty cheap. 
It ought to be a good place for Colburn to do carpentering, and we 
are going to try it. He can buy a small piece of ground in town 
and put up some kind of a house to live in till we can get a start 

there." 

Laura talked in a manner, as can be seen, to give me the im¬ 
pression that this would be her first to go to Fresno or to own any 
land there; that she would be a stranger on their arrival there. 
Neither of us mentioned the Church family, and I said nothing to 
her about my previous journey there, lest she change her mind 
about going and remain longer in Oakland. Laura piesented me 
with a gold ring and a fan, she said was bought at Honolulu, Sand¬ 
wich Islands. The morning following their third night with me, 
they said they were going to start for Fresno. 

“1 wouldn’t think you’d want to stay here where that George 
Manuel and his family live,” said Laura, “Fresno will be a better 
place for you than this. When you get tired of the Adventists and 
want a vacation, you can come to Fresno and live with us. You 
won’t have to work every day for your hoard and room rent.” 


220 LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 

“You are always welcome to come and live with us, as long as 
we have a roof over our heads,” said Mr. Colburn. 

Geneva had been glad to be with me again and kept teasing me 
to go with them. Saying they were on their way to Fresno, the 
family went from the James residence without any request of my 
company to the train. 

PLOT AND CONSPIRACY. 

The last time I spoke to Lucy, at Oakland, was when she 
called to see Laura at the James residence in 1880, and I had not 
spoken to any member of her family since she ordered me out 
of her house, in 1877. I had not received any letter or word from 
Mr. Colburn, Laura or her children, since their departure from 
the James residence, in 1880, when they told me they were going 
then to Fresno. 

A Seventh-Day Adventist campmeeting was in progress in the 
country, near Alameda, Alameda County, California, during the 
autumn of 1881, that was only a few miles from the city of Oakland. 
On a Sunday afternoon; a concourse of people had gathered to 
hear the sermon that was to terminate the campmeeting. A raised 
platform was there for the preacher, organ and choir. The tent 
walls were open at the sides, and being one of the choir, afforded 
me a good view of the congregation as they were entering the tent 
and being seated. To my surprise—here came my said uncle and 
aunt, G. W. and Lucy Manuel, of 14th and Castro streets, city of 
Oakland, and seated themselves at a side of the tent. They were 
only seated a minute or so, when G. W. Manuel waved his 
hand at some one or more, who were among the crowd on the 
outside of the tent, when they immediately vacated, and did not 
return to the tent throughout the meeting; and this was the first 
and last I saw them on the camp grounds, or at any other Seventh- 
Day Adventist meeting, for they were members of the Unitarian 
Church, then of Oakland. It appeared obvious to me therefore, 
that they had come there for some reason or design, other than to 
hear preaching or singing. 

When the same meetng was concluded and people were taking 
their departure from the camp grounds and gathering to their pri¬ 
vate tents, I was confronted by a red-haired man while alone and 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


221 


apart from the crowd, who introduced himself to me as “Brother 
Church," saying that he was a relative of the same M. J. Church, 
whom I had known when a little child in Napa City, and had 
lately found at the new town of Fresno; where Laura with her 
family had since gone to reside. The same M. J. Church, had the 
shade, characteristics and appearance of the race called Mexicans. 
Though the red-haired Mr. Church had some facial features of the 
same Church family, he was a white man, and it did not appear to 
me as though he could have been any near blood relation to the 
same M. J. Church. 

“I’m a worthy brother of the church,” said Mr. Church, “and 
an old friend of your father, David Manuel; who is now waiting 
by a creek yonder by the foothills, where the trees and brush are, 
about a mile and a half from here (pointing to the place). He 
sent me here to bring you to him in my carriage, where you can 
have a private talk together.” 

“What kind of a looking man is the David Manuel you speak 
of?” I inquired. 

“He is a dark, stout, pock-marked man—an old-time friend 
of M. J. Church in Napa, when you lived there with them. I know 
who your father is,” said Mr. Church. “I have made no mistake in 
the man. I know him well. He is a brother to George W. Manuel, 
of Napa and Oakland.” 

“What does he want to talk to me about? Why does he not 
come here to talk to me?” were my inquiries. 

“I believe it is his intention to make you a present of quite 
a sum of money, and he wants to talk to you privately. He 
would attract too much attention coming here,” said Mr. Church. 
“He told me that he thought it was wrong for a girl like you to 
work every day to support yourself, when he has plenty of means 
and can afford to help you. He wants to make some arrangements 
wth you about money, so you won't have to work every day for a 
living.” 

“He ought to come here to talk to me,” said I, “a mile and a 
half to the lonely place at the foot-hills among trees and brush, is 

no place for me to go to meet any man.” 

“I am a good brother in the church, I can assure you,” said 
Mr. Church, “and will see that no harm comes to you if you go 
there to meet your father in my carriage.” 


222 LINKS OF MYSTEJRY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 

To meet the said David Manuel (one of the four), the former 
husband of Laura, at a place and manner as Mr. Church described, 
meant murder, to my understanding. However, it was my opin¬ 
ion at the time, that Mr. Church had been used as a dupe by Dave 
and his brother, the said George W. Manuel, of Napa and Oak¬ 
land, and others, to decoy me out to the foot-hills, to make away 
with me, not suspecting that either Laura or M. J. Church, of 
Fresno, were then implicated in this plot; for Laura, as appeared 
to me, had done her best, to prevent my falling into the hands of 
the ruffian Dave, who was the man that Mr. Church described 
as my father, awaiting my arrival at the foot-hills. 

Mr. Church impatiently continued: ‘‘Your father is a wealthy 
man. He can afford to help you, and it is his duty to provide for 
his children. If you are afraid to go there with me, I know a good 
brother and sister of the church, whom I can get to go there with 
us. They are trusty—can be trusted anywhere.” 

“Who are they?” said I. 

“They were old-time friends of your father and mother in 
Napa.” said Mr. Church. “They are brother and sister Eggleston, 
of Napa, and are now members of the church. I think you will 
remember them—there they are—coming now.” (pointing to a man 
and wife that I knew in Napa, as Mr. and Mrs. Eggleston; the 
parents of Mary Eggleston; the father-in-law and mother-in-law 
of the same Charles Levansaler, who handed me the decoy note 
at Napa, in 1873, on the pretext of a boat ride down the Napa 
river; some accounts of whom are in SKETCH 29). 

“It does not appear that you know much about my private 
affairs, brother Church,” said I, “If you did, you certainly would 
be foolish to think I would trust myself anywhere with that couple. 
They never were true friends of mine, that I know of. We will 
end this conversation now. If David Manuel wants to talk to me, 
he can come here to the camp grounds. I will not go in your 
carriage to meet him or any other man, at such a place as you 
describe.” 

I met the elderly couple, Mr. and Mrs. Eggleston, a short dis¬ 
tance from where we stood, who attempted to speak to me. The 
greeting I gave them, caused them to move on, and the treacher¬ 
ous, old white-haired Eggleston man, gave indecent utterances, 
because, as appeared, the trap set for me did not come through, 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


223 


as they had expected. A few minutes later, I saw them standing 
by the side of the carriage talking with Mr. Church. My said 
father, the ruffian, did not put in an appearance where I could 
see him at the camp grounds, from where I took my departure to 
Oakland, without further disturbance. 

GEORGE S. MANUEL DEPARTS FOR FRESNO, FRESNO 

COUNTY, CALIFORNIA. 

My eldest said brother, George S. Manuel, notified me during 
the autumn of 1881, that he was going to Fresno, to live with 
Laura and her family. George was said to be employed most of 
the time in some department of the “Pacific Press" buildings, 
However, there were intervals of days and weeks, when I did not 
get sight of George, or have any certain knowledge of his where¬ 
abouts. Whenever we did chance to meet, George generally 
greeted me friendly, and sometimes inquired how I was “getting 
along?” 

I was employed at folding, book work, type-setting in the 
finishing room of the type foundry, and as a compositor in the 
printing department. I was so anxious to learn all I could, that I 
was most of the time an apprentice in the office, and was not, 
therefore, paid the salary that others were paid, who continued 
in one department. For this reason, my services were often called 
for in various departments, and I knew of no employe of the same 
office, who put in more continuous hours during the time they 
were employed, than myself. I did not once speak to my said 
uncle, G. W. Manuel, or any member of his family excepting Lucy, 
when she called and requested to talk to Laura, or was invited to 
their house, during all the time I was an employe of the “Pacific 
Press Office.” George S. Manuel represented to me that he was 
a frequent and welcome visitor at their home, during all of this 

time. 

George S. Manuel ceased to be my escort to church, or any 
other place, after Laura’s departure from Oakland in 1878, and 
resumed his old indifference to me as a brother, that was obseived, 
wondered at, commented on, by people in general employed in or 
about the office. 

I became acquainted with a couple of artists, a man and his 
wife, who told me they were going to take a tour to various towns 


224 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


in California, to take pictures during the summer of 1882, agieeing 
to teach me enough photography to be a helper, by which I could 
pay my way, if I desired to take the summer s tour with them; 
that I might get a rest and change in the open from the office, to 
regain my health that had failed, from too steady employment and 
too many hours, for one of my strength and accustomed to more 
open air exercise. I therefore, with this understanding, went with 
the artists to reside in the spring of 1882, expecting to accompany 
them on their tour in several weeks. » 

No letter had come to me from Laura, George, or any member 
of the family since they notified me they were going to Fresno, 
until now, when two letters came from Laura, requesting me to 
take a vacation from the office and come to Fresno, for a while. 
I had struggled too hard to get away from Laura and to remain 
away from her, to have any thought of ever returning to visit 
with her. 

SOME ACCOUNTS OF MY VISIT AND EXPERIENCE IN 
FRESNO, FRESNO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA. 

The residence of the artists, with whom I now resided, was in 
a more thinly populated place of the city, where there were few 
passers by, out of business hours. While out for a short walk in 
the same place one day, between the hours of 9 and 12 a. m., I met 
a large man wearing a star and policeman’s uniform, who greeted 
me in a polite, though firm and decided manner, introducing him¬ 
self as an Officer of the Law. Our conversation in brief, was to the 
sum and effect: 

“Your relatives here in Oakland have complained to head¬ 
quarters, that you are overworked in the ‘Pacific Press Office/ 
for one of your size and strength; that you are no more or less than 
a slave, working for very poor board and room rent, under the 
guise of religion; and are on this account, at the present time 
mentally and physically incompetent to support yourself. Will 
White, the superintendent of your office, has agreed and con¬ 
sented with your relatives, to have you sent to your mother 
at Fresno, to stay a while until your health is improved. I have 
orders from headquarters, to see you off to Fresno, or take you 
there by force, if necessary, to your mother.” 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 225 

Then I explained to the officer that I was going to travel with 
the photographers during the summer; would be in the open much 
of the time, and only do enough work while in towns, to pay for 
my board and few effects I might be in need of; that I was lead¬ 
ing a respectable life and would be with respectable people, as I 
had been; that I was more than eighteen years old, had supported 
myself several years, and had a right to live apart from relatives 
if I so desired. 

“Your behavior and character are not questioned/' said the 
officer. “As an invalid, the Law can order you to be taken care of 
against your wish, when you are not doing right by yourself. Your 
mother, I am told, is wealthy, and willing to support you. If I take 
you there by force, it will place your sanity in a very questionable 
light. If you go willingly, I will be at the depot to see you away 
on the train without people being the wiser of it. You can go there 
a short time and come back again. If you stay away from the 
Adventists and continue to have a visible, respectable means of 
support, it is my opinion, you will get along better—that is, if you 
want to stay away from your relatives. It appears to me like they 
will have the best of you on the law points, and I have advised you 
how to win out, if you will take my advice." 

“This is only a trick to compel me to live with people I have 
struggled beyond my strength to get clear of," I said. “If you only 
knew how I hate to go to Fresno, I don't think you would have the 
heart to compel me to go." 

“According to all I hear and what you tell me, one or more 
of the Adventists, it appears, are in the trick, if there is any. I 
have told you what to do to beat the trick. I have orders to see 
that you go to Fresno to your mother, if you only remain with her 
a week. You can come back when you get ready," said the Office* 
of the Law, “and the sooner you go, I think the better." 

I thought of Mr. M. J. Church and family, then residents of 
Fresno town and County; thought they were my friends, and 
rather than be disgraced to be taken there by force—like I had 
committed a crime, I submitted to the officer’s demands, who was 
on time at the depot at Oakland, paid for my ticket and helped me 
aboard the train for Fresno. 

I arrived in Fresno safely, where Laura with Mrs. Fanning 
the eldest daughter of Mr. M. J. and Mrs. Church, were at the 


226 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


depot to meet me: who both looked and acted glad of my arrival. 
The morning following, Laura introduced me to several of her 
acquaintances, explaining to them that I had come home on a visit 
from Oakland, where I had been employed at the “Pacific Press Of¬ 
fice;” talked and acted like a real mother—that is, for one of her 
kind. I found George S. Manuel there, who met me civilly. George 
had surveyors instruments, a buckboard and a valuable horse; said 
his occupation then was surveying. Louis, Augustus Geneva and 
Mr. Colburn, all acted and expressed their gladness to see me a* 
home again. 

“Pm glad my sister Nene's come home,” said Geneva. 

She occupied my private room with me at home and staid as 
close to me as circumstances permitted, showing a decided pre¬ 
ference for my company, as did Louis and Augustus, to other 
members of the famly. Louis and Augustus also had a horse and 
cart for their private use. 

Mr. and Mrs. M. J. Church and. family invited and received 
me at their home like one of their family, said I was to them like 
one of their own children. Laura was with them at Fresno, like I 
had known her to be with them at Napa, prior to the year of 1867. 

The weather at Fresno was warmer than I had been accus¬ 
tomed to at Oakland, and there were no visible indications from 
my appearance, that I would be looking for work for several weeks, 
at least. I revived, however, beyond my expectations in a few 
days after my arrival, told Laura one morning I was going to take 
a short walk to look at the town. I found Mariposa, the principal 
business street of the town, two blocks away, and inquired the 
location of the printing offices. “The Fresno Republican” was the 
first I came to, where I entered anl asked for a situation as com- 
sitor. 

No, they had no work for me then, they said, they had never 
met a lady compositor in that part of the country before, and after 
some deliberation, came to the conclusion to enlarge their paper 
and make room for me. 

“Five days a week will suit me very well,” I said, “I would 
like the other two days to travel and take views of the town and 
and plains.” 

To this they agreed, saying they would send notification when 
they were ready for me. Several days after, one of the compositors 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


227 


called, saying, “Your place at ‘The Fresno Republican’ is ready 
for you/’—to Laura's astonishment. Though Laura was opposed 
to this arrangement, I took the place offered and became a com¬ 
positor for “The Fresno Republican." The proprietor of this 
paper then was S. A. Miller, to whom I was introduced. Mr. 
J. W. Short was the editor. The compositors were then, Mr. 
Frank Clark, compositor and foreman; Mr. William Shanklin 
and myself, Mr. Hodge came a short time later. Several were em¬ 
ployed in the telephone office of the same building. Mr. and Mrs. 
Miller resided in the same building of the printing office. The 
engine and press room were in the basement underneath the 
composing room. Mr. M. J. Church called and informed all em¬ 
ployed in the composing room, that I was to him, the same as one 
of his own children, that he had known me when a little child. We 
were a cheerful party altogether, and I was pleased and encouraged 
with my new situation. I generally accompanied Louis, Augustus 
and Geneva once, often twice a week, over the plains on pleasure 
drives, with whom my attachment became stronger than ever 
before. I was getting the idea into my head that I had at least 
two brothers and a sister, who all three told me that if I went 
away from home again, they wanted to go with me. 

OUR OLD HOUSE ON L STREET. 

Our residence was on a corner of L and Merced streets, on 
a block next to the Court House Square, on one of the most 
valuable residential locations of the town. On a corner of our 
yard on L street, was an old, rough-board, two-roomed, one-storv 
house; the front of which faced an end of a low hill or long rise 
of ground from the left, that had been leveled on the top and 
filled in around its base, where the ground was some lower than 
the other surrounding land. When I first took a look at this old 
house outside and inside, it seemed to me that I had at sometime 
been in it before the spring of 1882; yet I had no recollecton of 
being on any place like the Fresno plains after the year of 1866. 

I had seen houses like this one in other places, and after some 

thought, was not certain that I had ever seen this house at any 
prior time. All other houses in the near vicinity excepting an 
old one-story house, that stood on a lot adjoining our yard on 

Merced street, that Laura said she owned, appeared to be new, 

or of some more recent date. 


228 LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 

During the autumn of 1884, a gentleman acquaintance and 
myself went on a pleasure drive from the town of Fresno to an 
old town named Centerville, situated near a bank of King s river, 
all in Fresno County. When we came to Centerville, and were 
on a road that I could see extended miles up and down the river 
bank, my escort stopped the horses for us to take a view of King’s 
river. Near by, was a lone, live-oak tree, with square-shaped 
rocks piled around it, below the bank at the water’s edge; that was 
the only tree I observed so far as I could see at or near the river 
banks. As I viewed this lone tree, the rocks piled around it, this 
river and its banks, they were to me like a forgotten picture 
of past memory, now being revived, after years’ absence. “Yes, 
I have certainly known this scenery in the past”—I was thinking. 
Our carriage was at the entrance of a Court, lined with old houses 
—so old, that moss was growing on their roofs. 

“You appear to be in deep thought,” said my escort. 

“I was, to an extent that you awoke me. A queer old place 
—is it not?” I replied. 

Said my escort: “It is, to people not accustomed to seeing 
old-time buildings on the plains. That old house with the out¬ 
side stairs, a porch and door at the side, is a hotel, where we are 
going to dine.” 

When my escort opened the side door from the porch of the 
old-fashioned hotel and we had stepped inside, past scenes were 
again reviving. When about to open the door of an adjoining 
room, I detained him, saying: “Please wait a minute and tell me 
first before we enter: Is the next room to this, the same width, 
about three times its length, with a front door, a long table in the 
center of the room and a small one in one corner like the table 
in this room?” 

“That is it. You must have been here before, to describe it. 
I supposed I had brought you to a place that would be new to 
you,” said my escort. 

“I would like to take a look at the next room, before an¬ 
swering,” said I. 

We entered the room, There it was—sure enough—as I had 
expected it would be. These facts were convincing that I had been 
here before. My missing Father—my missing Mother—came to 
my thoughts—I stood and gazed like one in a dream. 


.LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


229 


“When were you ever here before?” inquired my companion. 

”1 could have been no more than three years old, maybe not 
so old, when I saw this place last, and how strange it is, that I 
should recognize it after so long a time! It is like a picture in 
memory. This is my first to discover it since then,” I replied. 

“Do you remember who you were with?” said my escort. 

“That is what is puzzling me. I only recognize the room and 
the place, as a picture of memory,” I said. 

We ate an old-time vegetable dinner at this old moss-roofed 
hotel, and returned safely to Fresno the same evening, after a 
day of strange reflections. 

THE TWO ODD WELLS. 

In the front yard of our residence in Fresno on L street, and 
between twenty and thirty feet from the back of the old house, 
was an old well, that supplied us with water, and the only one I had 
seen in Fresno, since the spring of 1882. Surprises continuing—• 
it was at dusk, an autumn evening of 1884; Laura and I were stand¬ 
ing at this well, when a woman, a stranger to me, came, carryng 
a pitcher, requesting it to be filled with water from the old well, 
which Laura filled for her. The woman addressing Laura, said: 

“This is the best water and the oldest well, on these plains. 
There was another old well, a short distance from this one, that was 
filled up, years ago. There (pointing to'the place), near the side¬ 
walk, on Merced street, about midway between the corner of K 
street and the fence where that other old house stands, was the 
spot where the well was. People were very much in need of good 
well water on these plains then, and I have many times wondered, 
why a well containing the best of well water, was destroyed on 
such a place as these plains, and who destroyed it. That well 
was on, or near your property. Do you know anything about it? 

It was not light enough to discern the expression of Laura’s 
face; vet her movements were plainly discernable. She had stood 
listening, opposite us by the frame of the well, until the question 
put to her about the old well that had been filled up; to which she 
gave no response; put a hand against the frame of the well, like 
one endeavoring to steady herself for a moment, then slightly stag¬ 
gering, though descernable, she left us at the well and disappeared 
at the back of the house, without a word of response.. We both 
( 8 ) 


230 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


stood silent, wondering at her abrupt and queer behavior. When 
Laura was out of sight, the woman said softly to me: 

“Is that your mother?” 

“She is supposed to be," said I. 

“You do not resemble her, and you do not act or talk like her. 

She is very queer acting. Is she insane? 

“She certainly acted strange and queer this evening; though 
the question of her sanity, is more than I am prepared to answer, 
came my response. 

“I would think you would be afraid to live in the same house 
with her. She might be dangerous,” said the woman. 

“I don't expect to be here much longer," I said. 

“Her actions certainly indicate there is something wrong about 
her,” said the woman, “and my advice to you, is to go as soon as 
possible. I believe that woman is too dangerous to be trusted.” 

It appeared as though Laura was so shocked or frightened 
at what the woman had said or asked her about the well that had 
been filled up years ago, that she staggered, and could not, or was 
afraid, to give any reply. 

THE CLOUDBURST AND THE OLD WELL THAT WAS 

FILLED UP YEARS AGO. 

The winter following the conversation at the well, a cloudburst 
caused the streets of the business district and many of the resident 
streets of Fresno, to be submerged in water to a depth that boats 
and rafts could float, suspending my attendance at the printing 
office several days. 

Laura had neither mentioned to me or I to her, anything about 
the woman who came to the well for the pitcher of water, what 
had occurred or had been said, that we three were witness to, the 
same evening. 

The second day of the flood Laura and I were looking from 
a back window of our house to some men or large boys, on a raft, 
where the woman had told us the old well was located, that had 
been filled up years ago; where we could see them lowering and 
raising a long pole in the water. Louis and Augustus came rush¬ 
ing into the house from the back way, saying : 

“Say, Ma, them fellers out there on the raft, struck a soft 
place in the ground, that don’t seem to have any bottom to it. 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


231 


One of ’em run a long pole down the place and didn’t strike bot¬ 
tom. Now they’re trying another scheme to see if they can find 
any bottom to the hole.’’ 

Laura turned her hack to me, faced the boys and shook her 
head to them, meaning, that they say no more on the subject in 
my presence. 

“That must be the well that the woman was telling us about,” 
said I. 

At this explanation, Laura turned about and faced me, white, 
both with rage and fear, apparently. 

“There never was any well there!” she exclaimed. “It is one 
of them sink-holes. There is more like it scattered over the 
plains.” 

The other language she used to me would not be proper for 
print, that was to the effect: That both the boys and myself must 
never again either say that a well, a sink-hole, or any other bottom¬ 
less place was, or is in the same locality. I neither heard or said 
any more about the well, while .1 resided with Laura at Fresno. 
There is a hardpan under the soil of the Fresno plains varying, 
I have been told, from eight inches to six feet, under the soil, that 
is like cement in hardness, and is said to be waterproof. From the 
fact that a pole could be run past the first hardpan only in the one 
spot where the well was said to have been in that vicinty, together 
with Laura’s actions and talk, convinced me that the woman had 
told the truth about the well, that Laura knew some, if not all, 
of the secrets of the old well “hat thad been filled up years ago.” 

The out-of-doors exercise and fresh air drives I enjoyed wth 
Louis, Augustus and Geneva, then averaging two days a week, and 
less hours than I had had in the printing office, had improved my 
health to such an extent, that I began o think myself able and 
capable of getting along as well as most girls who were larger, 
stronger, with more liberty and therefore more chances to learn 
and improve their opportunities than I had; for I was smaller and 
possessed less physical strength than the average girl, and incom¬ 
petent to earn my living where physical strength was required 
of me; and my chances and opportunities to learn, had been less 
than any girl I knew of, in California, excepting my three terms of 
schooling at the “Napa Young Ladies’ Seminary,” and my chances 
to learn while employed at the “Pacific Press Office,” for which I 


232 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


worked early and late, often feeling the need of a substantial meal, 
which I did not always have ready money to pay for, and did not 
mention while an employe of that office; though I have no doubt 

my credit was good, had I asked for it. 

For more than a year before I ceased from The Fresno Re¬ 
publican,” I began to go into a decline, that was so slow ana 
gradual, that I did not realize it for some time. I could not re¬ 
tain milk or butter on my stomach, and some told me they had an 
idea that I was being afflicted with “Malaria,’ and advised me tc 
eat uncooked tomatoes and to drink lemon juice diluted with 
water. This, I found to give relief, though they did not cure the 
complaint. My work as compositor did not require one to be 
physically strong; only a clear mind, enough strength and health 
to walk to and from the office, to think, sit on a type-stool and to 
make quick movements with arms and hands. As long as I could 
accomplish this much, I did not realize my loss of strength and 
weakness. I was anxious to earn a little more money, so that I 
would have enough to pay my expenses to lea\ e Lam a and to 
start anew among strangers. I was, unquestionably, under the 
influence of some poisonous drug; did not, and could not, realize 
my condition, and was getting weaker mentally and physically 
day by day, until people told me my face and hands resembled 
wax, and a little later, said I resembled a walking corpse. 

At a time when my mind was weakest, Mr. Colburn had a 
private talk with me when our conversation was to the sum and 

effect: 

“Nellie,” he said, “there is some mystery in the family about 
you, that Laura has never told me. Is Laura your mother?” 

“She once told me she was,” I said, “I can remember of be 
ing with her since a small girl. Why do you ask the question?” 

“Nellie,” he said, “I’ve never found you to be untruthful, 
treacherous and deceitful, like I have other members of the family. 
I’ve tried to be a father to you, and Im’ now going to tell you 
something in confidence. I think you have seen and know enough 
by this time to consider what I’m going to tell you, and to keep 
it to yourself. Lolly was taken sick with a fever right after we 
came here. The Doctors said they thought she had contracted 
it at the Sandwich Islands, before she came here. I neither slept 
nor took off my clothes for several days and nights and had about 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


233 


given lip all hopes of her recovery, expecting her to pass out most 
any hour. I was the one who had you sent for to come here. It 
was my money that was going to support the family. I knew you 
were not as able to work and earn your living as the boys, and it 
looked too one-sided to me. I thought you had as good a right 
to a home as the boys had. So before Lolly was taken down sick, 

I talked to her and George about having you come home. They 
were both opposed to your coming here then, and when Lolly 
was taken sick and I thought was about to die, I said, Lolly, all 
of your children are here to see you but one. In case anything 
should happen, and you don’t live, Nellie ought to be here to see 
you. I’ve sent for her, and am in doubts, Lolly, that she will get 
here in time to see you before you pass out. Lolly appeared to be 
so horrified at the thought of you seeing her die, that I believe it 
was the means of her rallying from death to life agan. Lolly 
commenced to wring her hands, pull out her hair, and say she 
didn’t want to see you; that if I had sent for you, not to allow 
you in the house, or to see or to speak to her, unless she was either 
dead or well. I knew then there was some mystery about you; 
that it was unnatural for a mother to act that way about her own 
child. You didn’t come home when I sent for you, and Lolly 
commenced to improve from that time on. After Lolly was well 
and strong again, I got Louis and Augustus and Neva to stand in 
with me against George to persuade Lolly into the notion to have 
you come here. George always was against you coming here and 
was Lolly’s consulter and adviser about everything done on the 
place, or business affairs. I talked so much to Lolly about all of the 
boys staying at home, and you, the only one of her chldren, being 
away supporting yourself, and how people would look at it, that 
I think I shamed her, and Lolly said she would write and ask 
you to come home. I can’t believe Dave or his brother Geoige 
Manuel, are any relation to you. You’re a white girl and they are 
from some other kind of a race. It is my opinion they are full- 
blood Portuguese. They are treacherous and cruel, whatever they 
are from. They don’t belong to your kind. Nellie, you remember 
how Lolly and her boys got away with the money you had saved 
and put away in your trunk, when we lived in Oakland, when they 

were all of them more able to work and earn money for them¬ 
selves than you was? I don’t think they’re any too good to do 


234 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


the same thing over again. Don t yon think yon re making a mis¬ 
take by keeping money in your trunk? You might put it in the 
bank here; but I have doubts you would get it again if you did. 
Others, no doubt would, but it is a question whether you would. 
If you’ve confidence enough to trust me, I can take your money and 
keep it for you and guarantee there will none of them get it away 
from me, if you’ll not tell any one I’ve got it. I own a house and 
lot here in my own name, that I intend to keep, no matter what 
comes or goes, and I’ll give you my note in my own hand-writing, 
in case anythng might happen to me, you could collect your money 
on it. I’m offering to do this for you, because I don’t like to see 
you robbed all of the time.” 

Had I the power to use my ordinary reasoning then, I would 
have kept my money and fled from Fresno. I let Mr. Henry S. 
Colburn, my said step-father, have $300, to keep in his possession 
for me, with the understanding that he was to send or hand it ovei 
to me when I was in need of any or all of it; and he gave me his 
note in his own hand-writing as security. A few days after I had let 
him have the money, I discovered that the trunk in which I had 
kept my money, had been searched and re-locked as before. I said 
nothing about it, as though I had not observed it. Soon after, I 
began to have cramps of the stomach, after I had eaten supper and 
retired nights. I was now failing so rapidly, that I could feel my¬ 
self going, day after day, and realizing that my time in life was 
growing very short. Two physicians had prescribed medicine for 
me with no perceptible results, favorable or unfavorable, except¬ 
ing on several occasions when they were called to attend me after 
I had swooned at the office from weakness and pain; when Mrs. 
Miller, the proprietor’s wife, had me brought to her rooms in the 
same building where she was my attendant until I was able to walk 
home. My life was saved twice by physicians, on occasions away 
from the office. I was favored and aided to retain my place in 
the office, on account of my energy and ill health, where I con¬ 
tinued longer than I would have done, to keep out of Laura’s 
company and for the want of my ordinary intelligence. A friend 
advised me to buy a bottle of brandy, dilute with a small quantity 
of water and try it for my cramps. I bought the brandy, which 
I was keeping a secret from those at home. The same evening 
that I had brought the brandy home, I was seized with violent 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


235 


cramps after supper and going- to bed, that I felt was going to 
finish me then and there. I grabbed the bottle, poured out an 
ordinary sized water glass two-thirds full of brandy, completed 
with water, drank it, and two more in like manner. The cramps 
ceased for the night and I slept. I continued to buy brandy and 
drink it secretly without intoxicating effects, that very soon 
caused my mind and reasoning to get clearer and stronger, and 
stopped cramps, when I felt them after supper and at other times. 
About a week's trial of the brandy had elapsed, when the com¬ 
positors and editor insisted on my vacating the office for the after¬ 
noon ; that they would do extra work to make up for mine. It was 
unusual for me to go home between the hours of 2 and 5 p. m., 
and feeling better and being out for a walk, I decided to call on 
some girl acquaintances before sunset, and go with them to 
the ice-cream gardens to pass the evening; where would be danc¬ 
ing and other amusements. It also happened that I went home 
on an unusual street and direction, tip-toed up the front steps and 
opened the front door very quietly and listened, to hear if there 
would be any chance of my getting into the house to get my wrap 
and out again, without Laura knowing it; when, in the dining 
room, at the end of a short hall, I heard Laura talking to her boys. 
I heard some words that attracted my attention to such an extent 
that I stood listening a few minutes. I could not distinguish all 
that she said, during this time, but heard enough distinctly, to 
well understood, that Laura was determined and anxious, to get 
me out of the way, before she could accomplish a design. I now 
saw Laura's disposition and character towards me in a more cor¬ 
rect view than I had understood it before. She had really calcu¬ 
lated on my disposal—no doubt—for years. I now quote what 
I heard her say to her boys then, that remains vivid in memory: 

“There’s some land I want to give you boys * * I can’t give 
it to you till Nellie’s out of the way. She’s the true heir. You 
boys must turn over a new leaf * * * do different than vou’ve done 
in the past. * * * She aint your sister * * * She’s nothing to you 
* * * I don’t think she’ll last much longer * * * I look any day for 
her to pass out.” 

I was too shocked and it was too dangerous for me to listen 
longer, so I decided to make my escape while I had a chance, with¬ 
out Laura’s knowing or suspecting that I had listened. I closed 


236 LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 

the front door without latching it, sliptped off my shoes until I 
was off the porch and steps, and hurried away from the place to 
the house of my acquaintances. We went to the ice-cream gar¬ 
dens that evening, where I ate ice-cream with no ill effects indi¬ 
cating that my stomach had improved to a considerable degree, 
since the use of the brandy. I remained at the house of my ac¬ 
quaintances that evening, breakfasted with them, and from there 
proceeded to the printing office. I went home at noon and ate 
with the family. Laura inquired of my whereabouts the night 
previous, looking much more than she said, having confused move¬ 
ments and insisting on my drinking tea for dinner. 

“If you would drink more tea with your meals and less water, 
I think it would be better for your stomach,” she said. 

“It might, I can try it,” I replied. 

When Laura had placed the cups of tea at the plates for din¬ 
ner, I transferred my cup with that of Augustus, when Laura re¬ 
turned to the kitchen. When we were seated at the table, I drank 
sparingly of the tea, ate only such food as I saw others take from 
dishes. I wanted to find out for a certainty, if Laura was at¬ 
tempting to destroy my life by slow poisoning. Brandy, I thought, 
would save Augustus, if necessary. I quit work before 6 p. m., 
the same day, and had a consultation with a physician of the 
town, that was in words to the sum and effect: 

“Doctor, do you think I have any symptoms or appearance ol 
slow poisoning?” I inquired. 

“Well—yes, my opinion is, that you have, when I come to 
think of it. Have you any suspicions that you are being poi¬ 
soned?” • 

“Before I answer the question, I would like to have your de¬ 
cision first. That is what I came here for,” I replied. 

“Is Mrs. Colburn your mother and are her children any rela¬ 
tion to you?” were the doctor's first questions. 

“She has raised and taught me to address her as Laura, not 
mother, and once told me privately, when at or near the age of 
thirteen, that she was my mother; though I have continued to 
address her as Laura, when speaking to her. Her children have 
from the time they were small, called me their sister, and I have 
said her children were my brothers and sister. 

“You do not resemble any of them,” said the doctor,, “You 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING 


237 


have features and characteristics very strongly indicative, that you 
are from some family other than theirs, and it is the general im¬ 
pression here of those who know you, that there is some mystery 
about your being with the family you live with. Are you an heir 
to any money or property?” 

“I have reasons to think that I am,” I said, “though the knowl¬ 
edge of the money or property I am heir to, has been carefully kept 
a secret from me, by my supposed relatives, and no other has told 
me.” 

“It is my decided opinion,” said the doctor, “if you quit eat¬ 
ing and drinking with any and all of your supposed relatives and 
get away from them—put the ocean between you, if necessary— 
that your health would begin to improve and you would come out 
all right. You have all indications so far as I can observe, of being 
naturally healthy. That you are an heir to money or an estate ot 
some kind, that your supposed relatives are scheming to get it 
into their possession, is my decided opinion. A physician might 
be thoroughly convinced that a person is being poisoned; could 
give the best of reasons for thinking so, and no argument could 
change his opinion; yet unscrupulous doctors could and would be 
paid to refute any and all arguments he might make, particularly 
in your case. You are employed at type work, that is poisonous 
to some persons, and their symptoms be like yours. According 
to the circumstances, I can see their chances of winning out against 
me, should I attempt to bring up a charge of poisoning against 
them. In a case like yours appears, that the result would be, no 
doubt, ruin to us both. You are more intelligent and energetic 
than the average girl of your age, supported yourself before you 
came here, and have supported yourself ever since you came to 
Fresno. Why couldn’t you earn your own living away from your 
supposed relatives as well as with them? I think the sooner you 
get clear of them, the better it will be for you. If you leave them 
and find your health to be improving and come out all right, you 
may then, in all probability, believe what I have told you, and 
may some time find out the mystery, and what you are heir to.” 

“Your opinion is the same as mine was before I consulted 
you on the subject,” said I, “and I am very willing and anxious to 
follow your advice.” 

When I returned home from the doctor’s office, I found 


238 


LINKS OF-MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


Augustus very ill, sitting in a large, easy chair, his mother sitting 
by, looking very anxious and worried about him. 

“Why, what is the matter with Gus?” I inquired of Laura, 
“He looks like death. What is the cause of it? There ought to 
be something done for him right away, before it is too late.” 

‘I think Gus has a spell of “Malaria,” the same as you’re 
troubled with,” said Laura, “and if you want to do anything, you 

had better go and tell Dr. that Gus is dangerously sick, 

and to come right away.” 

Laura called for the same physician that I had consulted in 
regards to my poisoning. I hurried and found him in his office 
where I had left him: 

Dr., I have a very urgent call for you. My supposed brother 
Gus, was taken very ill after dinner today, and looks like death. 
His mother sent me here to tell you that Gus is dangerously sick, 
and is in need of your services before it is too late.” 

“He very probably got a dose, that was intended for you,” 
said the doctor. 

“I believe you have guessed it correctly, Doctor,” said I, “and 
I would like to ask a question or two of you before you go.” 

“Say on,” said the Doctor. 

“Doctor,” I said “I loaned the most of my money out, that 
I have saved, before I suspected my supposed mother of placing- 
poison in my food and drink. I need this money to go away with, 
and cannot afford to lose it. It might be several weeks before I 
can get it into my possession again. If I remain in the house with 
my supposed mother and her children, refuse to eat with them, 
there is no telling what they might say or do. What can I do, 
and what would you advise me to do until I can get clear of them? 
You must understand by this time, that a person who would at¬ 
tempt to end my life by poisoning, would be apt and capable of 
destroying me some other way.” 

“You are smart enough, I think, to form plausible excuses 
about your health and go visiting awhile until you get your money. 
I will have a private talk with Mrs. Colburn, your supposed 
mother, and I don’t think she will trouble you about eating in her 
house. There are too many doubtful of her here, for her I think, 
to go too far, for fear of being found out. You have friends here, 
where they have not, and are much better thought of.” 



LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


239 


I was notified soon after my consultation with the Doctor, 
that Mr. Miller, our proprietor, had decided to sell out his news¬ 
paper and discontinue as a newspaper proprietor; that it was a 
worry to them all of the composing room, to have me continue there 
any longer because of my ill health and corpse-like appearance; that 
they objected to my falling dead in their office, which they were 
daily expecting. At their request I quit, friends with all employed 
in “The Fresno Republican” office, so far as I have knowledge 
of, during the spring of 1885, after I had been employed there 
nearly three years. I had, during all of this time, bought and made 
most of my clothes; had passed over to Laura from $1 to $3 per 
week on an average, that she took from me as loans. She refused 
to take any money from me for my board or room-rent, because, 
she said, the boys did not pay anything for theirs; that I was the 
only one of the family, excepting Mr. Colburn, from whom she 
could get money willingly, when she needed it. However, these 
loans proved to be like all of my other loans with Laura, she never 
paid back, and I neither asked or so much as hinted, that I wanted 
her to make good, any money I had passed over to her during all 
of my time in Fresno. 

I will not omit to mention, that my said aunt, the said Lucy 
Manuel, of 678, 14th and Castro streets, Oakland, California, came 
to Fresno and visited with Laura, during the spring of 1885, acting 
very friendly, and pretending to be very pleased to meet me again. 
Probably she was, to meet me at her sister Laura’s abode, but not 
because she liked me, or had come there with any good inten¬ 
tions on my part—far from it. It so happened on the second day 
of her arrival there, that a friend of mine came to town with a 
request that I accompany the party home on a visit on the plains, 
at a farming and stockraising district, between twenty and thirty 
miles from the town of Fresno. As the party was waiting in the 
wagon for me at the gate, Lucy and Laura stood in the front door. 

“Good-bye, aunt Lucy,” I said, “I am now going to the country 
for a visit of an indefinite period, and you will no doubt, have 
finished your visit here, ’ere I return to town.” 

The corners of Lucy’s mouth drew down; a disappointed, 
vicious expression overspread her face, as she stood gazing at me 
take my seat in the wagon and move away—“the bird had flown” 
from a trap, no doubt. 


240 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 

j 

THE WARNING OF MRS. CHURCH. 

Mrs. M. J. Church, I supposed, was a true friend to me, as 
far as she could be, for one of her surrounding circumstances. I 
knew that she was a good mother to her children. Mr. M. J. 
Church and family had all treated me their best, when I met them 
or was in their company. When I returned from the visit to the 
country, Lucy was gone, and Mrs. Church requested me to take 
a walk with her. When we were out of hearing distance of any 
third party, she notified and warned me to the sum and effect: 

“Nellie, I knew you in Napa, when you were a little tot, and 
you seem like one of my children to me. I have brought you out 
with me today to do some of what I believe to be my duty, so far 
as I can, and shield my children. Nellie, I am endangering my life 
by warning you, to save your life. I hope you will consider and 
remember this, and that I am doing what is hardest for a mother 
to do in my circumstances. Nellie, I am sorry to tell you, that 
my husband, M. J. Church, is not the kind of person he would 
have you think he is, and is one who cannot be trusted,—so far as 
you are concerned. He has been in the past, a treacherous, dan¬ 
gerous and wicked man, and has that reputation among some who 
have known him in past years. We got him into the church, and 
he is supposed to have had a change of heart. He is a better be¬ 
haved and appearing man than he was; yet, it is his nature to be 
treacherous, and there are reasons that I cannot tell } on, for m}/ 
children’s sake, why, I feel confident that he is yet, and will be, 
while alive, dangerous to you. Place no confidence in him; never 
be alone in his company; never eat or drink anything he may offer 
you aside from our table; but don’t let him know or think you are 
suspicious or doubtful of him. \ ou can do all of this without his 
mistrusting you. I was a poor servant girl, who had to earn my 
living the best I could, when I married Mr.Church, not knowing 
or having any suspicions of the real kind of a man I found him to 
be. I have raised a family, and I feel like it is a mother’s duty to 
protect her children before all else; and feel better now, that I 
have given you warning as far as I can, and protect my children.” 

Eaura was the one who put poison in my food and drink that 
poisoned me while in Fresno County—no one else. I felt sad and 
disappointed to hear this news of one I had supposed was my old- 
time friend, M. J. Church, whom it now appeared to me was impli- 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


241 


cated with Laura, Dave and others, in plot and conspiracy, of which 
they had calculated on my being a victim. It now appeared clear to 
my understanding, that my said and alleged Manuel relatives and 
accomplices had forced me to go to Fresno to murder and dispose 
of me, on account of my being an heir to money, property or land, 
somewhere and some place, the description and location of which 
had been, and was being, concealed from my knowledge. After I 
had listened at the front door to Laura’s secret revelation and 
advice to her boys, when she told them that I was the true heir to 
some land that she wanted to divide and give to them when I was 
out of the way, and the doctor had saved Augustus from his dose 
of poisoning that his mother had intended for me, both Louis and 
Augustus from this on, avoided my presence as they had never 
done before; and if I did chance to meet them, they turned their 
heads and backs and ceased to speak or to recognize me at least 
three weeks prior to when I left the house and place of their resi¬ 
dence. Laura discontinued to trouble me about eating or drink¬ 
ing in her house, after the doctor called and saved Augustus aftei 
he had been poisoned by drinking the tea that Laura had placed 
at my plate and I had transferred to his plate. 

I secrtly continued the use of brandy when I felt in need oi 
it, without intoxicating effects; had kept out of Lauras presence 
visiting here and there, for at least six weeks; yet no Mr. Colburn 
could I find or get sight of, and it was appearing very much as 
though he was keeping clear of me to get out of returning my 

money. 

Mr. William Shanklin, formerly a compositor of “The Fresno 
Republican;’ had been, for more than a year and a half, one of the 
proprietors and editors of a newspaper at the town of Tulare, 
Tulare County, that was about forty miles from the town of 
Fresno. Mr. Shanklin had said to me before he quit The Fresno 

Republican”: 

“If I make a success in getting a newspaper started at lulare, 
I would like to get at least one good compositor, who is up to date, 
and if you would like to see Tulare after you are here awile, and 
would like a situation on my paper, send me notification and I will 

make room for yon. , 

I was feeling so much better and my mind so much clearer, 

than when I quit “The Fresno Republican,” that I believed myself 


242 


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capable of holding a situation as compositor again—for a while at 
least. The extra money I had retained in my possession when 1 
quit “The Fresno Republican,” was nearly gone, and I was afraid 
to remain at night in the house with my said mother and her 
family longer. I therefore, wrote to Mr. Shanklin of Tulare, for a 
situation as compositor in his office and a small loan of money, 
requesting that if satisfactory, to telegraph a short answer and the 
money order the following day; to keep it a secret from any of my 
relatives, who were trying to prevent my leaving Fresno. The 
answer and money order came, according to my request, at a. m.; 
that would give me time to pack my trunks and have them taken 
to the afternoon train for Tulare. When my trunks were packed 
I notified Laura, that I must leave Fresno on the afternoon train 
south. Laura endeavored to prevent my leaving her, by persua¬ 
sion and threatenings, until noon hour, when Mr. Colburn put in 
an appearance for dinner. Then Laura leaving me alone for a few 
minutes, had some private interview with her husband, who re¬ 
turned to the kitchen with her where I was seated. 

“Nellie,” said Mr. Colburn, my supposed step-father, “Lolly 
tells me you are going to leave us today, and I would like to have 
you take dinner with us, so that I can talk to you before you go.” 

“All right,” said I, “if Laura is willing?” 

“I have never yet refused you anything to eat in the house 
since you’ve been here,” she said. 

“Why certainly you haven't,” said I, “This is my first to be 
at home at meal time for quite awhile. You know I have been 
away visiting and keeping out in the fresh air most of the time, to 
try to get rid of some of the ‘Malaria’ that you say has such a hold 
on me.” 

Mr. Colburn, Laura and myself were the only persons pres¬ 
ent at the table, and I was very careful not to eat or drink any¬ 
thing that would poison me, without poisoning them. 

“Lolly,” said Mr. Colburn, “I think when one person does 
another any serious injury, that it is liable to come home to them 
sooner or later; and now is your chance to tell Nellie what you 
ought to tell her before she leaves us.” 

Laura replied: “I have nothing to tell her. If I catch any 
of them coming around here, I'll fix ’um.” 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


243 


No explanation was given me by either of them, as to what 
Laura meant by this expression, that was the termination of it. 

“Nellie/’ said Mr. Colburn, “As long as I have a roof over m> 
head, you are welcome to come to it, and whenever you feel like 
coming home on a visit, I want you to remember that as far as 1 
have anything to say, you are welcome to come here.” 

Mr. Colburn arose from the table, saying that he must hurry 
to get back to work, and abruptly left the room, giving me no 
chance to ask to talk to him privately, without Laura’s knowledge 
to it. When he had gone, I notified Laura to see to it, that Louis 
and Augustus had my trunks at the depot in time to be checked 
for the train south, to which she refused to comply. Then I talked 
in a manner to give her the impression that fiiends were waiting 
near to talk to me before my departure on the train, and demanded 

of her in plain language: 

“Laura, if you fail to have my trunks delivered with all in 
them, as I ’have packed them, and at the depot in time to be 
checked for the train south, I will make trouble for you in town 
tonight. If you don’t think I mean to do what I say, try it, and be 

convinced.” > 

Then her face took on the same old fiendish smile, that it had 

when I missed and screamed for My Mother, the morning aftei 

her disappearance the night before, at the old house by the Napa 

river. Laura broke forth in an angry flow of words, that m brief, 

were to the effect: 

“If you leave me and my house now, don’t you ever return to 
it! It is my wish, that you will never have a day s luck or pro- 
speritv; that you will be a begger in the streets. If you leave my 
house"now, I will never leave you a dollar or any of my property. 
I will provide for all of my children and will take good care that 
it is so arranged with the Courts, that you will get nothing from 


in. ^ j / 

I replied- “I never have expected any of your property, 
don’t expect any of it, and what cause have I ever given you to 
think that I intend to cause you any trouble about it? How coukl 
I cause you any trouble about your own property? Laura s only 

answer, was a fiendish smile. 

“I must go now—be sure my trunks are at the depot. I hope 
I have seen you for the last time,” was my parting adieu, while 


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making - my escape from her house. I lingered outside of hei pie- 
mises where I was concealed from her view; saw hei harness 
George’s horse and drive away with Geneva in his buckboard. On 
my arrival at the depot, I saw Louis and Augustus diop off my 
trunks, turn their backs, jump into their cart and drive away, 
without a word to me, after I had been their companion and like a 
sister to them—so long. I got my trunks checked and boarded the 
train without any difficulty. I did expect something better of 
Louis and Augustus. As I sat in the car, the expressions that 
Laura had used to her boys while I listened at the front door, came 
forcibly and sadly to mind, while the tears were falling from my 
eyes: “Nellie aint your sister—she’s nothing to you.” 

SKETCH 35. 

SOME ACCOUNTS IN BRIEF, OF MY TIME AND EXPER¬ 
IENCE AT TULARE, TULARE COUNTY, 

STATE OF CALIFORNIA. 

I arrived from Fresno at Tulare, where I resided for a short 
time with Mr. Shanklin and family, and after several days, took 
the situation as compositor on “The Tulare Register,” Shanklin 
& Pillsbury, proprietors and editors. I felt the effects of the poi¬ 
son by spells for some weeks after my arrival there, for which 1 
secretly used brandy, until a very small amount of it had intoxi¬ 
cating effects, then left off the use of brandy. Mr. and Mrs. 
Shanklin attended Saturday evening balls, that were respectably 
conducted for respectable people, young and elderly, given by the 
“Tulare Library Society" by invitations, whose weekly invita¬ 
tions were extended to me, where I met with both church and 
non-church members, young and elderly, and passed many social 
evenings. Though I continued at type work, in the same kind of 
a climate on the plains, at regular hours, six days a week, putting 
in more time than I had hitherto in “The Fresno Republican'* 
office, my health continued to improve all the time while employed 
in “The Tulare Register” office. This was convincing evidence 
that the type in “The Fresno Republican” office had not been the 
cause of my decline and distress. I found employed on “The Tulare 
Register” as compositor, a girl near my age, without the ex¬ 
perience and opportunities to learn type work as I had had, and 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


245 


not, therefore, my equal as a compositor. Another girl came later 
as apprentice. All of us girls attended balls and were at peace in 
the office, though neither of them were at any time my company 
outside of working hours. Our foreman and pressman was a Mr 
Charters, who would be a credit to any office for behavior. 

Mr. Shanklin came accompanied to the office one day with 
one whom he introduced to us as Mr. Ellsworth, with notification 
that he had sold his interest in “The Tulare Register” to Mr. 
Ellsworth, who would take his place as one of the proprietors; 
that Mr. Pillsbury would continue as our editor, manager and a 
proprietor. Mr. Shanklin then quit the office and returned with 
his family to Eresno, where for a while he was one of the propri¬ 
etors of “The Eresno Republican.” Mr. Ellsworth was dark¬ 
faced and black-complezioned, dark enough to be a Mexican. His 
face I recognized to be like one I had seen when a small child, 
and his name the same as the said Mrs. Ellsworth, Mrs. Church’s 
sister, who Dave and Laura quarreled about soon after the myster¬ 
ious murder was committed in Dave s blacksmith shop, in the 
year of 1867, when they were expecting the arrival of Chan or 
Chandler Manuel, who I understood from their conversation to 
mean the one and same person. Mr. Ellsworth occupied a place 
in one corner of the office as job compositor, apart from otheis, 
and was the most quiet person I had ever met in a composing 
room; was particularly cautious about avoiding me. If All. Ells¬ 
worth spoke to me more than twice after our first introduction, 
I do not remember it. My dealings were with the editor and other 
proprietor, Mr. Pillsbury, whom I had found an agreeable, 
good-natured kind of an editor to get along with, and all appeared 
to be running smoothly and satisfactorily with all in the office. 
Mr. Ellsworth was the only one among us who did not look as 
though he was of the white race. When I had been an employe 
of “The Tulare Register” from between six and eight months, I 
found one morning that my case had been pied during my absence 
from the office; complained to Mr. Pillsbury, who requested me 
to make the best of it; that he would try to find out who did it. 
I found my case pied three mornings in succession and the third 
morning thought it was time to quit. So I requested Mi. I illsbuiy 
to make out my time and pay a month s wages that was due me 
from the office. This, Mr. Pillsbury objected to, saying, that it 


246 


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was my duty to remain until they could procure a compositor in 
my place, to which my quick response came: 

“Mr. Pillsbury, I quit right now. I have been expecting some¬ 
thing of this kind, and as to why it is done, and who does it, I 
am of a decided opinion, and, therefore, am decided not to make 
so serious a mistake, as to remain longer in this office; though 
I do not think you are aware of the true cause, or the real perpe¬ 
trator.” 

“If you quit now, without someone in your place," said Mr. 
Pillsbury, “I refuse to pay the money due you from the office. 
You are an heiress, are not in need of a situation, are taking the 
bread and butter out of a needy person’s mouth, by working for 
your living, where there is no necessity. You travel from place 
to place hunting for work to keep away from home, the right place 
for yau, where you are wanted and welcome.” 

“Mr. Pillsbury, I do not earn a dollar that' I am not in need of 
and more in need of, I have reasons to think, than any one em¬ 
ployed in your office, though you may not believe it. If I am an 
heiress, I certainly have received no land, money or property that 
I might be heir to, and have no way of providing it; the knowledge 
of which, has been kept from me. If you will inform me, as to how 
you know or where you gained this information, you will confer 
a great favor on one who has been wronged, is homeless, friend¬ 
less and very much in need of money, land or property that I might 
be heir to,” I said. 

To my explanation and request, Mr. Pillsbury gave no answer ; 
withheld any and all information from me, as to why he had 
said I was an heiress and had no right to earn a living. On the 
pretext that I quit the office without due notification, Mr. Pills¬ 
bury refused to pay the month’s wages due me. I quit the office 
then and consulted a lawyer, who ordered Mr. Pillsbury to call 
at the place of my residence and place in my hands the month’s 
wages owing to me, which Mr. Pillsbury did forthwith, that then 
ended our dealings. My success in recovering the money from Mr. 
Pillsbury that I had fairly earned and was in need of, was en¬ 
couraging, and I consulted an attorney in regards to the money 
due me from Mr. Colburn, my said step-father, who, when con¬ 
sulted, advised me to write two respectful letters to my said step¬ 
father, request him to pay me the money I had placed in his care 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 247 

for safe-keeping; with which I complied, and from which no an¬ 
swers came to me. The attorney said he would telephone for an 
attachment to be placed on a house and lot in the town of Fresno, 
held in the name of Henry S. Colburn, until he paid the money. 
The evening- of the day following, there called at the house where 
I was residing, George S. Manuel, my eldest said brother, who 
demanded of me in an excited and ruffled manner, my reasons 
for having “Colburn s ’ property attached and thereby disgracing 
them? To this demand, I firmly responded in a more excited and 
ruffled manner, meaning all I said: 

“If you wish to talk to me, it will be necessary that you keep 
a civil tongue in your head, or I will have you arrested. Then 
your disgrace will be worse than the attachment of your step¬ 
father’s property.” 

“Do you mean it?” said George. 

“Mean it! Certainly I mean it! I have a right to money I 
have earned and am in need of,” I replied. 

.Then George did his best by wrong argument to get my con¬ 
sent to allow Mr. Colburn to retain all or part of my money in his 
possession; when I inquired why he took such a lively interest in 
helping his step-father out in defrauding me. 

George replied to the effect: “Because Colburn has no money 
now on hand of his own and I am the one who will have to meet 
the bill. I am rather short on money right now myself, and don’t 
feel like paying the whole bill. If you will take part down now, 
it will be an accommodation to me, and the other part we can pay 
later on. Then too, it will aid us in keeping run of you, for we 
always like to know where you are and what you are doing. In 
case anything went wrong or happened to you, we could help 
you out.” 

I replied: “If you assume your step-father’s bills, I don't 
know of any reason why you should not pay them. You are not 
like a brother to me, and you would do me a very great favor to let 
me alone in the future, since you have proven yourselves to be 
no friends and entirely unlike relatives to me. Either pay the 
money owing to me by your step-father, or return to Fresno where 
you belong. I will give you until tomorrow morning to make up 
your mind. If you would like to remain here tonight, I can speak 
to the proprietress of the house and you can make arrangements 


248 


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with her for a room here tonight,” to which George consented. 
When their arrangements were made, I bade George a good-even¬ 
ing, retired for the night to my private room, locked and secured 
the key of the door, where I remained until time to go to the 
attorney’s office in the mourning. When I went from my room in 
the morning I found George waiting, who notified me that he 

was ready to pay the money due. 

I responded ■. "If you are willing to settle the bill, you can 

walk with me to the lawyer’s office.” 

“I would rather pay you privately,” said George, “I think 

the less we have to do with lawyers the better.” 

“I could not settle with you any other way,” I said, “The 
lawyer had the attachment served and is doing the business for 

me.” 

After some argument, George consented to go to the lawyer's 
office, where I introduced him to my attorney as my brother from 
Fresno, here to settle my step-father’s bill. When George had 
paid the principle, the lawyer demanded the interest due, which 
George tried to argue out of. 

“Pay the interest,” said the attorney. “If the truth was known, 
probably you owe her much more. You have no family resemb¬ 
lance to this young lady, and I do not believe you are her brother 
If I were in her place I would not acknowledge you as her brother.” 

George paid both principle and interest, which the attorney 
handed to me in his presence, refusing to take any pay for his 
services more than the cost of the proceedings. 

“I w ill go now to see you off on the train for Fresno,” I 
said to George. Then the attorney warned me saying: 

“Be on your guard—don’t get too close to the train.” 

A woman of some wealth and influence, late of San Francisco, 
encouraged me by saying: “You sew so nicely, make your clothes 
as nice as a dressmaker would make them, and I believe would 
make a successful dressmaker, if you understood a first-class 
system of cutting and fitting. You could be more independent 
as a dressmaker than depending on printing offices for situations, 
where spitework and false complaints can continuously be put 
against you. I have a friend, Mr. D. Edwards of San Francisco, 
a very successful dressmaker, one rated to be the best in the City 
as a cutter and fitter. He uses a tapeline and square the same as 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


249 


tailors use and told me it did not pay him to try to teach his mode 
of cutting and fitting, excepting to those of some knowledge and 
more than average ability in the line of dressmaking. His lessons 
are high priced, though I believe you could learn with a few les¬ 
sons. If you like, I will write you a letter of introduction and 
recommendation, with a request to teach you as a favor to me.” 

I gladly accepted the letter and departed from Tulare to Oak¬ 
land, during the autumn of 1886, where I rented a room in a private 
family; then went to San Francisco and presented my letter of 
introduction to Mr. D. Edwards, with whom I was successful in 
making arrangements to take lessons in drafteing patterns, cutting 
and fitting dress linings from once to twice a week, rooming in 
Oakland, where I practiced diligently early and late. When my 
course of lessons were concluded, I saw an advertisement in an 
Oakland paper, that compositors were wanted at “The Oakland 
Encinel” office, to work on a City directory, where I applied and 
was admitted, through the recognition and recommendation of 
some compositors who knew me while an employe at the “Pacific 
Press” office, prior to my departure from Oakland to Fresno in 
1882. The foreman offered me a place on their newspaper, “The 
Oakland Encinal,” which I refused. Prior to my leaving Fresno 
in 1885, a letter was handed to me by Laura, with the name of 
the editor of “The Signs of the T imes, ’ Pacific Press, Oakland, 
signed to it, saying that I was wanted and welcome to resume my 
place in the “Pacific Press” office. This letter I did not answei, 
thinking that I was showing them a kindly consideration by not 
involving them in trouble with “the gang.” When I say “the 
gang,” I mean my said and alleged Manuel relatives of California, 
the four said brothers, their accomplices in the plot and conspiracy, 
whether known or unknown to me. I left off working in printing 
offices on account of their secret intrigues and persecution; not 
because I was incompetent either in town or city printing offices 
to do the kind of work that I sought for. My disadvantage aside 
from my persecutors, was ill health; the cause of which I have ex¬ 
plained. Of course many of “the gang” were, and are, members 
of lodges and churches, and their money derived from the pro¬ 
ceeds of their wrong gotten gains, where there was no necessity 
for so doing, helped and helps them wonderfully in their plot and 
conspiracy. I supported myself most of the time while in Oakland 


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by dressmaking, designing and making complete many costly 
garments, from which I was credited, an ‘‘artiste. My mode of 
sleeve drafting was then of my own invention; giving bettei satis¬ 
faction than the mode I had learned from the gentleman dress¬ 
maker of San Francisco. During this time, there were three 
artful attempts—there might have been more—to decoy me to 
22 California street, San Francisco; a building and occupants, that 
was then unknown to me. Years later, I read a communitcation on 
which the same address, 22 California street, San Francisco, Cali¬ 
fornia, appeared, having the same name as one of my said alleged 
Manuel relatives (of the four, of California), signed to it. This 
together with other incidents that seemed to connect themselves 
with the circumstances surrounding me, led me to think that the 
gang were wrestless and relentless because of my presence among 
them, from which I reasoned and planned to myself, according to 
the following: 

“It is appearing very much to me as though the gang are 
determined to have, or to retain for themselves, all that apparently 
belong's to me as an heiress. If I drop the surname of Manuel, 
conceal my identity and existence every way possible from those 
who have known me to present date, there is a chance they may 
think me dead. Laura probably would then have no trouble in 
retaining or claiming the land she told her boys I was ‘the true 
heir to;’ for how could I claim property that I know nothing 
about? From the fact that any property I might be heir to, has 
been carefully concealed from my knowledge for so many years, 
appears to me as though the Courts are in favor of the gang 
having any and all that might belong to me, as an heiress. In 
view of this, it would be like signing my death warrant to apply 
to the Courts of Napa and Fresno Counties for information. 
Yes, it does look as though it is, as Laura and Lucy represented: 
‘that they could come pretty near doing as they pleased with the 
Courts..’ How could I be heir to any land, unless it was from 
my parents or relatives, who have been missing since 1 was near 
the age af three? I am sure that neither Laura, Lucy, Dave or his 
brother George W. Manuel, would will any property to me; for 
they have combined to prevent my having land that Laura said 
I was ‘the true heir to.’ To prevent my having it, is why Laura 
attempted to murder me by poisoning. If they would attempt my 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


251 


murder after raising me, it certainly looks as though they would 
have been none too good, to have disposed of my missing relatives, 
to get what belonged to them. Yes, I remember, that Dave and 
Laura were dreadfully worried about some land that Dave said, 
‘Chan’ had something to do with. Dave said he must get him out 
to California to save themselves; that ‘when we git ’im out here, 
we can fix ’im.’ When Chan’s arrival was expected, the man that 
was a stranger in Napa, was murdered in Dave’s blacksmith shop. 
Dave said the rest of them were as guilty of the man’s murder as 
his brother Harrison was. So they must have all combined and 
planned to ‘coax Chan out there,’ to murder him, on account of 
land, located somewhere in the East. I wonder if the land that 
Chandler Manuel owned, had been willed to me? It does appear 
like it, for Dave wanted to dispose of me soon after they murdered 
the stranger in his blacksmith shop, and Laura was afraid he would 
regain consciousness long enough to tell his name; and when 
Dave assured her there was no danger, her face took on such a 
relieved and pleased expression, that I wondered at it? When 
Dave said: ‘If we can git Chan out here, we can fix ’im, and 
make up a little story to satisfy the public,’ then the stranger was 
murdered in the blacksmith shop when ‘Chan’ was expected. When 
Dave said ‘fix ’im,’ he must have meant, murder him.- And it does 
look as though this was when and how Dave got ‘the papers to 
gang-ploughs,’ that Laura had hid for him, and then passed over 
to his brother George, that Dave raved so much about. Well— 
when I come to think about it, they as good as said so; for Dave 
could neither read nor write, and at first, did not know what they 
were. Yes, it must have been my uncle Chandler they murdered, 
after they had, disposed of my other missing relatives who knew 
me. Who else might be in danger from this fiendish gang? Who 
knows? If I can contrive to live, I may yet be able to expose and 
put a stop to their murderous and fiendish occupation? If it did 
not appear as plain as it does, it would not worry me so much ; 
• but I have been saved so far, and must not think any more about it 
now, lest I lose my courage, my mind become deranged and the) 
o-et the best of me. For all I can do now, is to try to save myself. 

o t 

I can write my own ads for newspapers in towns where I locate. 
When one or more patrons on my first arrival in towns, find me to 
be the real article as advertised, they will bring and recommend 


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others. New scenery and climate together with the thought that 
I am no longer known as a relative to people I have so many rea¬ 
sons to think are guilty of the murder of my parents and all near 
relatives who knew me, will, I believe, relieve my brain at least 
for a while. Now this gang who are representing me to be their 
relative, are planning—no question—to dispose of me, when they 
find some chance to do so in a manner to evade suspicion on their 
part; and if, in case they should be suspected and accused of the 
crime they contemplate, all of them who have openly acknowledged 
me to be their relative, will be able to prove an Alibi. 

My preceeding plans were soon in operation. I found travels, 
changes of climate, scenery and most strangers agreeable, and 
mv success was exceeding my expectations; for I was welcomed 
as a dressmaker and made friends readily in strange places where 
I was unknown as a relative to the gang, by names other than the 
surname of Manuel; representing myself to have no living relatives 
that I knew of, which latter representation was true. That I 
was being trailed, appeared evident to my understanding, from 
remarks and questions put to me, to the effect: That some one 
or more persons were inquiring for some missing relative, of my 
description. That I had personalities so peculiarly my own, and 
like the missing relative being inquired for, was strange and 
puzzling to my questioners and informants, with one exception, 
they said. Of course, I denied any said relatives, to strangers. 

“Who is the person and what is their name, being inquired 
for?” were my queries of informants. 

I did not hear the name, or have forgotten the name of the 
inquiring party, would be the general response of persons who 
mentioned the subject to me. In one instance my informant said: 

“It was hinted that the missing relative being inquired for, 
had some kind of insanity. You are too bright and intelligent to 
be touched with insanity, and when your description was given, 
I thought they must have had reference to some other party.” 

Because of these and other insinuating remarks, because T 
knew that the gang had been careful, cautious and determined to 
prevent my having intimate or continuous friends or prosperity, 
because I was determined if possible to prevent myself from being 
known as their relative, to save my reputation from any and all 
of their remarks and insinuations, as well as to escape from their 


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murderous hands, I had remained no longer continuously in any 
town since leaving Oakland, thus far, than three months. This 
mode of living, it can be seen, caused me to lose time, trade, friends 
—for I could not communicate by word or letter and prevent the 
gang from ascertaining my whereabouts any length of time, with¬ 
out every precaution I could take, and earn the necessary money 
required for emergencies, expenses, and extra traveling expenses, 
to elude them. Had I been less competent at dressmaking, I could 
not have accomplished it. Could I have remained unmolested a 
year's time in towns, I could have owned a home with some bank 
account, in a few years, from the proceeds of dressmaking. 

MARYSVILLE, YUBA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA. 

After some experience as a traveling dressmaker, I stopped off 
at Marysville, Yuba County, California, where it so happened very 
unexpectedly on my part, that while viewing the long bridge that 
crosses the river from Marysville, a construction of interest, 1 
here recognized the Yuba river to be unmistakably a scene in my 
memory of childhood, now revived. That I had not viewed thu 
place since the year of 1866, I could remember. I thought and 
thought. If I remembered any face I was with when here prior to 
the year of 1866, I could not connect it with this scene of revived 
memory. However, I thought I must have been here with the 
man and woman I was riding in the carriage with, mentioned in 
the SCENES, before I knew the white woman and swarthy, pock¬ 
marked-faced man, who taught me to address them as Laura and 
Dave. 

REDDING, SHASTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA. 

Redding, was so named, from the soil being red. I came to 
this town in the autumn of 1888. If I had ever seen this town at 
any prior date, it would have been before the year of 1866, and I 
did not recognize it. My dressmaking parlors were located in the 
best brick building of the town and business street, where I had 
spent the winter of 1889, in peace and tranquility, without ob¬ 
serving any sign indicative that one of the gang might be lurking 
in the town or vicinity. During the latter part of May, 1889, it 
so happened, that while in a drygood’s store at Redding, glancing 
casually across the room, the startled eyes of one I had known 


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when we were school girls at Napa, stood, for a moment, then de¬ 
liberately crossed the room to where I was, confronting me with: 

“Excuse me—” she said, “whatever your name is now, I am 
sure I knew you in Napa, when we were school girls, as Nellie 
Manuel.” 

Acknowledging her recognition—there being no alternative— 
we exchanged friendly greetings; for I was both glad and sorry 
to meet her. It was no more than natural that my school girl 
acquaintance would have some desire to know something about 
me during our existence apart since then, and she informed me 
of her marriage to a banker; that they were then residents of 
Redding. 

“What a strange happening,” she said, “to find that you are 
the Mme, La Voise, the French dressmaker, I have heard people 
recommend so highly as a dressmaker. Why, I have just bought 
material for myself a dress, to bring to you, before I recognized 
you here in the store; and to find that you are the same Nellie 
Manuel I knew years ago, is a surprise. Where are the Manuels 
vour relatives, who used to live in Napa?” 

“It. is years since I spoke to any of them. They never were 
like relatives to me. They were scattered over California, the last 
I heard of them. Both you and your relatives in Napa, no doubt, 
know more about their general reputation than I do, for they nevei 
save me a chance to find out much about their affairs while I lived 

o 

in Napa, and you will confer on me no small favor, by not men¬ 
tioning here the name of Manuel in connection with me, as I wish 
to keep clear of them. Not one of them is a friend to me,” was my 
request and explanation. 

Then my school girl acquaintance announced: “Now that 
you have mentioned the subject yourself, I did hear of remarks while 
in Napa, to the effect, that you did have features and characteristics 
so peculiarly unlike the Manuels of Napa, that people were general¬ 
ly of the opinion, there was some mystery about your being with 
them. Although we were young school girls when we last saw r 
each other in Napa, I readily knew you from your peculiar person¬ 
ality.” 

“I have been told more times than one, to the effect, that I was 
a real specimen,” I remarked. 

“I would like real well to have you make my dress,” she said, 


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255 


“to have a dress that you have made for me.” 

“Why certainly, bring it along. My special attention shall be 
given to it, for school-girl times’ sake,” I replied. 

She brought her material to my dressmaking parlors the day 
following, and when completed, I asked her: 

“How about the dress?” 

“It is very pleasing—entirely satisfactory to me,” she said. “I 
would be pleased to have you call at my residence when you can 
find time, where we may have a chance to renew our school-gir] 
acquaintance.” 

My time being so completely occupied with business, as well as 
wishing to avoid anyone whom I had known in Napa, on account 
of my said relatives, the Manuels (of the four), I never called at 
her residence, and this was our last meeting. 

It might have been a week—or more, from the date that my 
school-girl acquaintance took her dress from my parlors, when some 
night marauder knocked and talked at my hall door, two nights 
in succession; from which I complained to the proprietors of the 
building, who promised to do their best to put a stop to it. Then 
the disturbance ceased several nights, and the day after the second 
beginning, I mentioned the matter to a Mrs. Gillispie, who called 
to see about a dress she was having made, who expressed her view 
of the affair in language to the effect: 

“It is probably some miner from the mines. There are a good 
many of those rough fellows in town now. We don’t allow' such 
impudence at our hotel. I have daughters of my own, and we 
won’t tolerate such conduct. If you will come and live at our 
hotel, I will see that no one disturbs you there. You can have all 
of our dressmaking, and your patrons can come there as well as 
they can here. You counldn’t be safer at a private home than at 
our hotel.” 

Mr. and Mrs. Gillispie were then proprietor and proprietress 
of the “St. George Hotel,” Redding, and although my acquaintance 
with both Mrs. Gillispie and daughters was slight, they were busi¬ 
ness-like and respectable appearing. Their hotel was on the corner 
of the next block. It was my intention to leave Redding before 
the month of July was over, when I could finish the dresses pro¬ 
mised for the Fourth, and refuse to take any more until the summer 


256 LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 

heat had subsided. This excuse would give me a chance to get 
away without too much questioning. For after the disturbance 
of the night marauder, I thought it would be so much like a school¬ 
girl acquaintance, to write and tell her mother at Napa about her 
new dress, who made it, and my location be discovered accidently 
by some member of the gang. Thinking the “St. George Hotel’ 
would be a safer place for me, I consented and made arrangements 
with Mrs. Gillispie, and had all my effects taken there, where I was 
receiving all the attention and friendly treatment from both pro¬ 
prietor and proprietress that one could reasonably expect; where 
disturbance of night marauder ceased. 

The Fourth of July of 1889, is now past and the weather too 
warm to sew comfortably. My help are gone, excepting one nice, 
pretty girl, near the age of eighteen, who is helping me on a small 
amount of dressmaking left over from the Fourth. 

“Mabel, I leave you now to go to breakfast,” I said. Though 
the weather had deprived me of most of my appetite, like it had 
many others, I was feeling well when I entered the dining room 
and seated myself at a table of the “St. George Hotel,” Redding. 
The second daughter of Mrs. Gillispie came, received and brought 
my breakfast order to me, that consisted of a small beefsteak, fried 
potatoes and cup of tea. I ate sparingly of the steak and fried 
potatoes; drank no more than half the cup of tea; and 
without lingering, found Mabel sewing, as I had left her. 

“Mabel, I feel chilly,” I said, “and am going out on the 
porch to sit in the sun, to see if I can get warm.” 

“I wouldn’t think you would feel chilly a warm morning like 
this. There must be something wrong with your health,” she said. 

It seems to me that I had no more than seated myself on the 
porch than I returned and dropped into a chair by Mabel, shaking’ 
with a chill. 

“Mme., you look like death—you are so white,” she said. 

I replied: “Mabel, I’m dying! Run for Dr. You 

might get him here in time to save me, if you hurry!” 

Mabel first nearly carried me to bed and threw a spread over 
me. The doctor I sent for, was only a short distance away, and 
when he arrived with Mabel, their appearance was evidence that 
they had both exerted themselves to gain time. I was shaking 



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257 


with a dreadful chill as the doctor was examining my pulse, when 
I first noticed my finger nails had turned black. 

“Doctor, why are my finger nails black?’’ I inquired. 

“You are poisoned,” said the Doctor. “I think I can save you. 
Two or three minutes more—I would have been too late. Swallow 
this.” 

Then the doctor hurriedly prepared perscriptions, while Mabel 
stood—too much excited to sit down, with bated breath and pal¬ 
pitating heart, while the doctor put medicine in my mouth from a 
teaspoon, every fifteen minutes apart, instructing her about the 
medicine until near noon hour, with orders for no person to enter 
the room other than herself, during his absence. It was near the 
hour of 2 p. m., when the doctor called the second time,, remaining 
with us an hour or so, and called the third time late in the even¬ 
ing. Mabel sent word home and had her meals brought to her, 
remaining with me throughout the night, giving medicine accord¬ 
ing to the doctor’s orders until he appeared to us near the hour 
of 8 a. m., when I w r as found to be able to dress and walk, though 
very weak. 

“You are under my care,” said the doctor, “and I now order 
that you quit this hotel, the sooner the better. I was then taken to 
a rooming house, a pleasant location, which Geo. Groves was the 
proprietor of, also proprietor of the “Paragon Hotel,” Redding. 
Here I remained between two and four weeks, attended by the 
same doctor, taking his perscriptions to eradicate the poison from 
my system; during which time he inquired: 

“Have you any idea why you were poisoned?” 

“Yes, I am very decided in my opinion as to who the insti¬ 
gators were.” 

“Poisoning is serious business,” said the doctor. “They ought 
to be arrested for it.” 

“You are right about it, doctor,” I said. “But how could we 
prove who placed the poison in my breakfast order? It is because 
I am an heiress to property of some kind, that has been carefully 
concealed from my knowledge, so that when my death occurs, 
others may claim it as relatives, who are not my relatives. To 
tell what I know about them without evidence to vindicate myself, 
would make matters worse for me. This evidence I have not yet 


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obtained. Mrs. Gillispie told me a week or so before the morning 
I was poisoned at their hotel, that she was having trouble about 
retaining help in her kitchen; that help were coming and going 
in their kitchen too often to suit her. The poisoner could have 
been one of them, and the Gillispie family be entirely ignorant to 
it. I do not think they were guilty of it. If you know of some 
reliable physician that you feel confident can be trusted to help 
me out with proper treatment and concealment until I am able to 
look out for myself, is the best I know of that can be done for me 
the time being. To have it understood that Mme. La Voise died 
from her recent illness in Redding, will, perhaps, satisfy my would- 
be-murderers, give me safety for a while and a chance to escape 
from them; for the party who attempted my death by poisoning, 
knew, unquestionably, who Mme. La Voise was." 

“You need medicine for a while yet to eradicate the poison in 
your system, and care that you cannot get here. I have done the 
best I could for you. I know a physician, a friend of mine, in an 
out-of-a-way place from here, whom I will have a consultation 
with, and see if I can make arrangements with him for you," said 
the doctor. 

Tavo days later, I Avas conveyed to an out-of-a-Avay place, 
and placed under another physician’s care and treatment. While 
hid aAvay as an invalid, I met by chance and accident the first 
time, one neat and nicely dressed, namely, James W. King. By 
Mr. King’s permission, I will now relate some account in brief 
as explanation, to show how Ave began: 

Amid the odor of trees, a stranger interrupted my lone medita¬ 
tion suddenly, apologized for the intrusion. 

“Are you a stranger in this part of the country?” I inquired. 

“This is my first in this vicinity", said the stranger. ‘Here 
for a few days to recuperate my health in the country air; though 
I find it lonesome. My name is King!” 

“An odd place to meet a King,” I remarked. 

“Beg pardon—a king in name only. The name was passed 
over to me. My recent occupation was steamboating.” 

“I am Miss White, Mr. King,” Avas our introduction. 

“Pleased to meet you, Miss White, though it is accidental. 

Sometimes, accidental meetings turn out agreeable,” said the 
stranger. 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


259 


“It is a good place to rest the mind and nerves, if one can 
survive the solitude,” 1 recommended. 

“Two might survive it better than one,” recommended the 
stranger. "If you would like to try a little of my company, I offer 
my services. I am safe and harmless.” 

Thfere was a sound to the stranger’s voice with his general ap¬ 
pearance, that dispelled my fears. Safe company to one in my 
plight, would aid to divert my thoughts from my perilous future, 
for the time being, I reasoned. We continued to have quiet talks 
frequently, when I learned that Mr. King was an interesting con¬ 
versationalist, had a much wider knowledge of people and places 
in general, than myself; though I do not think more than five years 
my senior. Careful to give very little information about my per¬ 
sonal affairs, I was his interested, attentive listener. Our ac¬ 
quaintance yet brief, there were signs that my congenial company 
was evincing stronger sentiment than friendship; that would be 
wronging him should I accept, considering myself to be a designed 
victim of a murderous plot of some kind. Thanking him for his 
cheerful company that I had appreciated, I notified him: 

“I must be off for other localities, and I am to bid you good¬ 
bye, Mr. King.” 

Mr. King looked shocked, wished some explanation, and ar¬ 
gued. . Having had an intuition from the first, that Mr. King was 
the one who could be trusted with some amount of my history 
without using the knowledge to my injury, I decided to make 
some clear explanation, that would probably satisfy him once and 
for all with me, and I explained: 

“My murder was attempted by poisoning, a short time ago, 
the cause being, so far as I know, to retain or to claim property of 
some kind, that I am heir to; and from the effects of the poisoning 
I am here for treatment. I think I have been here long enough, 
and if I can keep my existence concealed from the conspirators 
for a while, it may be that they may think me dead from the 
poison, claim the property that belongs to me, and cease their 
search of me. It appears from circumstances as I know them, 
with what I have heard some of my would-be murders say, that the 
Courts of California are in favor of them having any and all that 
belongs to me; from the fact that whatever I might be heir to, has 


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for years been carefully concealed from my knowledge. Now, 
you see my life depends on my concealment from all who knew me 
to present date.” 

“Can it be that I have run across one like myself?” said Mr. 
King. 

“You don’t mean to tell me that you are a victim of a murder¬ 
ous conspiracy, do you?” I asked. 

“I guess that is about what it is. I traveled and got away from 
the gang that intended to do me up, some years ago; though I 
have not been bothered with them for some time. Now that I 
have met you half way, why not tell me your first name? I would 
like to know it. Let me help you out. I think I can come as near 
sympathizing with you and understanding your predicament as 
most any one could,” Mr. King said. 

“My name is Nellie,” I replied. 

“My name is James. Call me Jim.” 

“Nellie, if you care to hear some of my history, I will relate 
mine first, if you will relate some of your history to me. That is, 
I mean some part to show that you are the victim of a conspiracy. 
We can both omit names of people and places, if you like. We can 
then compare notes.” 

ou probably know the danger of revealing or even hinting 
that you suspect criminals, do you not?” I asked. 

“Yes, where there is murder behind it. Murderers are sus¬ 
picious and on the alert, and will commit other murders if they 
think there is danger of their being exposed; and they will, by 
various ways and means, conceal premeditated murder, as the)' 
have, no doubt done in your case,” was his explanation. 

I will now relate the story without giving detals or names; 
that was according to the following: 

MR. J. W. KING’S ACCOUNT. 

All. King said. I was left an orphan. Aly parents disap¬ 
peared when I was a little fellow, wearing dresses, when I found 
myself with a white man and a woman as black as a squaw, said 
to have been man and wife. They had other children with them, 
all white like myself, excepting one black girl, two years my sen¬ 
ior, the true offspring in disposition and color and much to indi- 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


261 


cate, was the only offspring of the black woman, of us children. 
We were all taught to call this pair father and mother. This man, 
apparently, got his money on rades of plunder, away from home 
most of the time. When he did show up, he exhibited a long buck¬ 
skin purse filled with money, that was generally gold; sometimes 
gold and silver. The black woman spent most of her time and 
money away from home during his absence, leaving us children 
at home alone to get along the best way we could, and her black 
girl to report all she knew of us white children during her absence. 
I hated her, and was the particular object of her hatred, of all the 
children. She had a treacherous, cruel nature, and spoke some 
other language besides English. I never did hear any one sa}' 
what race she was of, but it is my opinion she was either Portu¬ 
guese or Mexican. I often heard this pair speak of a certain ranch, 
located on a certain river, in a certain State of the West, with 
names so odd, that they could be located without any mistake.” 

“Excuse me,” I interrupted, “You are recalling recollections. 
I have heard of a ranch located on a river, with names so odd, that 
I remembered them. I wonder if they could be the same as 
your’s?” Then I repeated the names of a ranch and river I had 
heard Laura and her sister Lucy speak of several times during 
their secret talks, when I listened under the old house by the Napa 
river. 

“They are the same! They are the identical names!” he said 
excitedly. “Do you know anything about them?” 

“I never saw this ranch or river, that I know of,” I replied. 
“I heard their names spoken several times when near the age of 
twelve, by two of my gang, when they were talking secrets, not 
intended for my ears.” 

“Do you suppose they are in any way connected with my 
gang?” was Mr. King’s query. 

“It does sound something like it,” I replied, “but please go on 
—I am anxious to hear more. We can compare notes after.” 

Mr. King continued: “When I was six, seven and eight years 
old, the white and black pair informed me that I was heir to some 
money that had been placed on deposit to be turned over to me 
when I should come to the age of twenty-one; that the white man 
of the black and white pair had himself deposited for me; that 
he himself had also placed on deposit money for the other children 
( 9 ) 


262 LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 

with them, to be drawn when they were twenty-one. There was 
only one of them younger than myself, and not much difference 
in our ages. No one ever would tell me the amount of money on 
deposit for any one or all of us. From neglect, starvation and gen¬ 
eral bad treatment from the black woman, I often ran away from 
home and staid away most of the time, fishing and doing chores 
for strangers, to prevent starvation. I slept in boxes, barrels, or 
wherever I could find a place to sleep nights, and strangers fur¬ 
nished me with necessary clothing when I looked too ragged and 
dirty. This did not worry the black woman in the least, so long 
as strangers did not inquire about where I lived, who my parents 
were, and ask to interview them in regards to myself. This wor¬ 
ried her, and when she thought there was danger of any of them 
coming to the house or saw them coming, she took to town or to 
tall timber; thus prevented herself from being seen or questioned 
by them, about myself. My guardian that had been appointed, 
came and took me to live on his ranch with himself and family; 
where fruit, berries, vegetables, meat and plenty of provisions 
abounded. In fact, it was a luxurious home. Withal, I fared no 
better than I did before I left the black woman. I was so ragged, 
dirty and hungry most of the time while with my guardian, that 
neighboring farmers’ wives clothed and often fed me. I ran away 
from my guardian because of the way I was treated, and returned 
to town, which worried the black woman. She then had a talk 
with a white pair, who had no children, who told me they had 
adopted me as their son. Several days after I had gone with them, 
my guardian came to our home and boldly ordered my new mother 
to turn me over to him. She seriously objected to this order, 
drew a revolver and pointed it at him; which act combined with 
her general appearance and volley of language poured forth on the 
scene, caused him to take suddenly to his horse and drive away 
like one bent on winning a race. I was then left at the mercy of 
my adopted parents with no further disturbance from this guard¬ 
ian. I tell you now, they proved to be an extraordinary couple; 
were well-to-do, and had not lived all of their former years in 
the back woods. Mother was a fine dresser, dancer, singer, and 
liked good living, wine and whiskey; and as time went on, she 
developed a love for the intoxicants, until she was often unable to 
draw a sober breath of days and weeks’ duration; yet able to use 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


263 


a revolver when aroused. Father was as fond of accumulating 
money and real estate, as mother was of spending money for in¬ 
toxicating drinks, and was known and recognized to be a man of 
honor about business transactions. Father also had inherent in¬ 
sanity in him, which only unballanced him by spells, during which 
attacks lie was dangerous, and mother frightened it out of him by 
pointing the revolver at him. She was an expert with a gun and 
revolver, and father knew she would not hesitate to pull the trigger 
if necessary. We therefore had few intimate friends and visitors, 
keeping his insanity a secret. They were the best of parents about 
paying my tuition to private schools to see that I got an education. 
They allowed me the best to eat and plenty of it, for they both 
were fond of good living. They furnished me with nice clothes 
and plenty of them ; were severe and strict about my being clean, 
keeping my clothes looking neat and behaving myself properly. 
They allowed me to have money to spend for theatres, parties, 
picnics, entertainments, etc., until I became the envy of many boys 
less fortunate in these respects, who were pleased to share my 
money for good times with me. My associates and people who 
knew me then, had no knowledge of my true relatives and fraudu¬ 
lently said relatives, supposing me to be the only fortunate and 
happy offspring of the pair who adopted me. 

Father's inherent insanity was of a murderous propensity, 
when seriously worried, excited or aroused. He was therefore 
dangerous during his spells of insanity. Mother, too, was dan¬ 
gerous when threatened or angry, and would shoot at the drop of 
the hat. In this, she was more than a match for father, who she 
kept within bounds by drawing a revolver when necessary. I was 
therefore in peril, when father's insane attacks got the best of 
him, and was uncertain as to when they would come on him. To 
keep out of danger as much as possible, I persuaded mother to 
let me carry newspapers out of school hours, to which she con¬ 
sented. Father was rigditly opposed to mothers drunkenness, 
objecting to pay her whiskey bills, from which she became cross 
and abusive; for mother was much better natured when drunk, 
than sober. She was my only protection against father, and to 
refuse her any money when I had it, would be placing myself in 
more danger than from father. So I let her have most of my earn¬ 
ings, that she paid out for intoxicants, that father refused to pay 


264 


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for; though he could well afford it. When mother was well sup¬ 
plied with them, I persuaded her to let me be employed during 
school vacations; my object being, to make the best of my chances, 
preparatory to knowing how to earn my living in adveisity as well 
as in prosperity; feeling doubtful and dissatisfied with the pair 
who had adopted me. I therefore made the best of my opportuni¬ 
ties to learn. About nine years from when I fiist met the pair 
who adopted me, I brought a letter home from the Postoffice, 
that father asked me to read to him in mother’s presence. Both 
father and mother had kept their personal and family affairs very 
close from me, and when I read this communication to them, it 
was a real shock to them, that I had found out family secrets it 
contained, never intended for me to know; in short, a commu¬ 
nication father had never expected; secrets of his youth—danger¬ 
ous secrets to father—which caused the blood to leave his face, 
look startled, and to make some explanation to me. Then both 
father and mother threatened to kill me outright, if I revealed tu 
any what I had read. Though I promised father faithfully to 
keep secret that I had read, I knew by his actions, expressions and 
conduct towards me in general, that' he felt unsafe from my know¬ 
ing so dangerous a secret of his life, that was caused, father told 
me, by an attack of his inherent insanity. Father was growing- 
more apprehensive of me, for fear of my revealing this secret 
that he had successfully concealed since a young man; mother's 
mind and character was becoming weaker from intoxicating drinks, 
when they surprised me one day, by announcing that they had 
bought a ranch in the country, several miles from town, that was 
to be our place of residence in a week or two, where father repre¬ 
sented that mother and myself could have an enjoyable time, 
while he was in town looking after business. I noted the ex¬ 
pressions of their faces while telling me about this beautiful and 
wonderful home they had bought for us in the country, their 
eagerness to have me like and to consent to live on the ranch with 
them. Father had accused me falsely several times to mother 
since I had accidentally discovered a family secret by reading 
the communication, that were excuses no doubt, in his insane 
spells, to kill me; when mother saved me, by drawing her revolver 
on him. I was very decidedly of the opinion, that if I went out 
on the ranch to live with them, I would not live to see my twenty- 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


265 


first birthday. Letting them think that the country home would 
be a joy to me, to throw them off their guard, I packed all the 
personal effects I could get into a valise, when all was still in the 
house at night, and the following morning found me some miles 
from the home of my adopted parents. Being less than twenty- 
one, I knew they could, and would be very likely to have me 
brought back home, if they could have me located. I therefore 
* kept in disguises, at country places and near tall timber for some 
time, doing various kinds of work to keep* up necessary ex¬ 
penses and prevent starvation, to get out of their locality. By 
this management, I escaped from the death-trap. I figured up all 
the money I had given mother of my earnings, with which she 
bought intoxicating drinks. The result was, that my adopted 
parents were the price of a small house the best of me above all 
that I had cost them for board, room-rent, schooling, clothing 
and money expended on me. Like you, I could not explain the 
real truth of why I ran away and deserted my adopted parents, 
to people who knew me while with them, without making affairs 
much worse for both parents who adopted me, and myself; who 
were said to have been the most indulgent of parents to a wild 
and thankless youth. Of course, many who judged from outward 
appearances, were fierce in their denunciation of my leaving them, 
saying to the effect, that I was a wild, reckless and foolish youtn 
to forsake my parents and lose all I might be heir to from them. 
The surname they carried was King, and this was how I got the 
name. 

While traveling over the country to keep clear of any in 
search of me by the pair who adopted me, I came to the ranch 
located on the river known by the odd names we spoke of, and did 
considerable inquiring of people living in that part of the country 
prior to, and at the time I was a little fellow wearing dresses and 
found myself with the white man and black woman, who taught 
me to address them as father and mother; from whom I derived 
information with what I knew, that: Theie owned and lived on 
this ranch, a white couple with a little boy wearing dresses, their 
only child, who had disappeared mysteriously from the same ranch, 
and had not since been seen or heard of, so far as they had been 
able to ascertain, therefore, thought by some to have been killed 
or murdered. I learned from them, that this man who had dis- 


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appeared with his wife and little boy, had the same first and sur¬ 
name as the white man who lived with the black woman, who 
said this ranch was his; that he was the tine owner of it, the same 
man who taught me to call him father when I was a little boy wear¬ 
ing dresses and found myself with them. I learned that his de¬ 
scription was not the same as the man who had disappeared from 
this ranch with his wife and little boy, and therefore, not the 
true owner of this ranch, as he had represented to me; more 1 
was later seen and recognized by one who was an intimate as¬ 
sociate with the couple who had disappeared fiom the lanch, to be 
their same little boy whom he had known with them on the 
ranch ; who said my parents had told him then that I was their 
only child; said also that my parents were the true owners of the 
same ranch, prior to their disappearance. 

After I was twenty-one, I returned to the vicinity of the 
Kings who adopted me—I could not go there before, without 
falling into their hands—to see if I could find out anything about 
the money on deposit for me when twenty-one; went to the 
Court House and inquired for Records in my true name—that is, 
the name of my true parents (who, I have no doubts, were mur¬ 
dered), I was informed: If there were any such records as I 
called for, they were not to be found in their proper places; that 1 
had better hire an attorney to look over the Records for me. I 
hired one, who reported to me, that others by the same surname 
(the black girl included), had drawn thousands of dollars, as my 
relatives on Record; though he had not found on Record the 
total amount due me. The Records showed that thousands of 
dollars to my account had been drawn by my administrator, who 
drew the money without my knowledge and without my sanction 
and appropriated it to himself; who then was rated to be a million¬ 
aire. This administrator never did expend as much as a dollar 
of this or any other money for my benefit, neither his father before 
him. I learned also that the black woman, said to be my mother, 
who could not have been any blood relation to me, the one who 
lived with the white ruffian man, had hired lawyers and sent them 
to an Eastern State, who represented this ruffian white man, the 
said husband of the black woman (who was carrying the same 
name as my missing father), to be the true and lawful heir to an 
estate which I believe was my missing father's, that I was the true 


LINKS OF MYSTEIRY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


26 7 


heir to, which they sold and returned to the West with the pro¬ 
ceeds; of which I was never offered a dollar, or in which I was 
never recognized, that I know of. I had reasons to think that this 
black woman would not hesitate to commit any crime that she 
thought she could get away with. The Judge of the Probate Court, 
was one of the black woman's lawyers who was sent East, to sell 
and settle the estate, who allowed the administrator to draw any 
amount of money on my account, without due process of the Law. 
Of course, you can see, that I could not appeal for any justice 
there. I felt enraged when I found how my parents had disap¬ 
peared, how I had been robbed of all of my inheritance from them, 
and had made up my mind to employ another attorney to see what 
he could find on Record about the ranch my missing parents had 
owned and had disappeared from, when I was secretly notified 
to leave that part of the country immediately, or I would not live 
to get away; and this was the end thus far, of my search of 
Records. 

I was a diligent, energetic and thinking youth, when I lived 
with the pair who adopted me, during which time, I was the in¬ 
ventor of an invention, that I used freely to further the wealth ol 
my employers, who promised to keep secret my invention until 
after I was twenty-one and could get it patented; for I could trust 
no one said to be related to me whom I knew. I learned, that dur¬ 
ing my absence from the place, my former employers had appro¬ 
priated mv invention to themselves and had obtained a patent 
on it, from which they derived a fortune, thus ended all that I 
had in that place, excepting the clothes I wore and a few personal 
effects I carried away with me in my valise. ’ 

I later saw Court Records and living witnesses, thoroughly 
convincing to me, that the foregoing declaration of James W. 
King to me, was all true. 

I then related to Mr. King some events in my past history to 
show that I was also a designed victim of murderous plot and con¬ 
spiracy, after which, he said: 

“Nellie, you are now in greater danger and less able to protect 
yourself from your gang, than I am from mine. You need protec¬ 
tion. We are two of a kind. Both robbed of our parents, relatives 
and inheritance, in the way of murderous gangs of plotteis and con- 



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spirators. It is not so easy to get away with two, as it is one. 
Who can believe, understand and sympathize with you more than 
I can? You have led me to believe that you think consideiable of 
me, and I have placed more confidence in you by revealing what 
I have to you, than all others, believing that you would take no 
advantage 'of it. As much as I have been wronged, I am willing 
to let my case go, to try to save and protect you from youi gang, 
if you are willing to promise to let me be your husband, compan¬ 
ion and future protector; take our chances together in the future? 

You are now all I care to live for. 

“Yes, Jim, you shall be mine, and I will be yours,” was m\ 

answer. 

We left the place where we first met, of which I make no men¬ 
tion, to protect friends and witnesses. Air. King procured employ¬ 
ment, and I went away for further treatment, to try to get the 

poison eradicated from my system. 

A week or so prior to when I was poisoned while at the break¬ 
fast table of the “St. George Hotel," at Redding, California, im¬ 
pulsively, without any premeditation, I requested a young woman 
who called on me, to take charge of one of my albums, that she 
was to conceal until such a time as I would call or send for it; to 
which she agreed, and carried the album away with her. I also 
left two trunks filled with clothing and other articles, in care of 
Airs. Groves, wife of the proprietor of the “Paragon Hotel,” Red¬ 
ding, to be taken care of, until such a time as I would send for them. 
Several weeks after Air. King and I had left the place where we 
met and became acquainted, I wrote a letter to Adrs. Groves, re¬ 
questing her to send me the bill of my indebtedness to her, for 
the care of my trunks; from which I received a reply, according to 
the following: 

“Dear Alme. La Voise: 

I cannot tell you how surprised I was to get a letter from 
you! I supposed you to be dead and buried. A doctor here 
signed your Death Certificate, and it has been commonly reported 
here, that you are dead. How strange it all is! There must be 
some mystery about you—there must be something wrong. I 
cannot understand it. 

Your trunks were put away in the baggage-room for safe¬ 
keeping. Supposing you to be dead, I had thought no more 
about them. To my astonishment, I found they had been stolen 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


269 


from the baggage-room. I have made a diligent search to find 
some article that belonged to you, and fail to find any. What 
can I do or say, under such extraordinary circumstances? Please 
write and advise me. I am glad to learn that you are yet among 
the living. It is all so strange! What can I do? 

Mrs. G. Groves.” 

I answered the preceding letter, requesting Mrs. Groves to 
call and get my album from my lady friend, with whom I had 
entrusted it, from which my album duly arrived in as good a 
condition as I had last seen it. These letters passed through 
the U. S. Mail, and I knew Mrs. Groves too well personally and 
by reputation, to doubt any and all that was said in her letters. 
There being no doubt in my opinion that my gang got away 
with both trunks and their contents, I did not trouble .the lady 
any further about them, although their contents were valuable 
to me, as well as to the gang. Of course it was reasonable, 
that my gang' would want all of my belongings as evidence 
of my death, after the signing of my Death Certificate, so that 
they would have no difficulty in retaining or getting into their 
possession, all that I was heir to, that they had always concealed 
from my knowledge. 

SKETCH 36. 

Readers, I now introduce to you my husband and hero, 
James W. King. We are located in the city of Astoria, Clatsop 
County, State of Oregon, in the year of 1892. Mr. King lb 
engaged in the seining business at the beach, and I have dress¬ 
making parlors at 586, Third street, the principal business street 

of the city. 

After a thorough explanation and warning to Mr. King, 
as to who and what the individual characters of the members 
of my gang whom I knew and suspected were, we both were 
decidedly of the opinion, that to let them continue unexposed, 
meant ruin and murder to us, and no telling how many others, 
according to our past experiences. Neither of us were detectives. 
It was a business that neither of us had the least liking foi , 
nevertheless, it was a force put with us, as well as a duty we 
owed to others who might be, or become victims from them, with 
no idea as to the true motive or cause of the crimes, and there- 


270 


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fore, no defense for their protection, lo stii up long-tiicd, ex¬ 
perienced, desperate ruffian criminals, as some of them were, 
with the sneaking treachery and deceptiveness of others, we 
knew was dangerous; but we were beginners, and therefore, had 
courage to press on in the work—more—there was no other 
alternative for us. I began to feel or imagine, that I had been 
watched and warned by the invisible, to do my part towards 
exposing them. Neither of us having a house, lot, or bank 
account in our possession to start in with, no more than what 
money we could earn with our hands, I insisted on doing dress¬ 
making to earn money to help out with; for in our position, we 
needed more money than Mr. King could earn alone, under favor¬ 
able chances, to offset adversity, and to be used in detective 
work, traveling expenses, etc. 

Our courage at times almost failed us, when we saw the 
evidence of what money and wealth could do, in the possession 
of such unscrupulous criminals, backed by their secret de¬ 
ceptions used with church members and lodges they were 
members of, used by them only for a covering and their pro¬ 
tection in crime. I speak from personal knowledge and exper¬ 
ience, as I knew some of my alleged Manuel relatives of the four. 
With few exceptions, we both concealed, as much as possible, 
the name Manuel, with our histories from first acquaintance; 
talked over and debated on our case out of business hours; not 
knowing how or where to begin, to seek a clue to search out 
evidence to unveil the links in the chain of the mysterious plot 
and conspiracy; when, it so happened one evening after dress¬ 
making hours, that a lady called to consult me about buying 
material for a dress, when Mr. King was present. It being out 
of business hours, we became sociable. The lady mentioned in 
conversation, that she had lived in the vicinity of Sonoma 
County, California. 

Mr. King inquired of her: ‘‘Did you ever know any man 
by the surname of Manuel, living in or near the vicinity oi 
Sonoma County ?” 

“Yes,” said the lady, “I knew of a man who lived on a ranch 
at Calistoga, Napa County, by the name of David Manuel, with 
a wife and several children. He is reputed to be wealthy.” 

“What kind of a man is he,” Mr. King asked. 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


271 


"I am not personally acquainted with him,” said the woman, 
“though I did, some time ago, read some accounts in newspapers 
about his being involved in a lawsuit with some woman in 
regards to a valuable estate in San Francisco, on the water front, 
though I never read or heard how it terminated.” 

“That man is reputed to be my wife’s father,” said Mr. King. 

“If I had a father as wealthy as he is said to be,” said the 
lady, “I would try to keep run of him and get my share out of 
what he leaves behind him. Fie is pretty old now.” 

When the woman had gone, I asked Mr. King if he hadn't 
made a mistake by telling her that David Manuel was reputed 
to be my father? 

“No,” he said, “I have been thinking seriously that we ought 
to try and get some acknowledgement from them as to your 
identity, now that you have been reported dead and your Death 
Certificate signed. That- was a daring piece of work to do while 
you were yet alive. Do you really believe your gang were 
responsible for your being poisoned at Redding, and getting away 
with your trunks and all of their contents?” 

“Oh yes! Certainly! I could not believe otherwise, from 
what I know. I heard Laura tell the boys when I secretly 
listened at the front door in Fresno, that there was land I was 
the true heir to, that she would divide among her boys, when I 
was out of the way. It looks to me as though they were in a 
hurry to get it, and seized the opportunity to poison and dis¬ 
pose of me where I was a stranger and unknown by my true 
name.” 

“There! Now you are seeing through the trick as it appears 
to me,” he said. “In case anything did happen to you, I need 
some acknowledgement from them as proof of your identity, to 
fortify myself against them; or in case anything happened to me, 
without it, they might deny they ever knew you, give you no 
chance to prove to the contrary. 

“Yes, you are right about that,” I said, “But they are so de¬ 
ceptive to those not familiar with their deceptiveness, dangerous 
plots and schemes to destroy and ruin—besides murderous, that 
I am afraid it will place us in greater danger, if I write to any 
of them, let them know I am alive and married. What worries 
me most is, that they are very liable to try to get away with 


272 


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you first, to prevent you from searching their histories, property, 

and claiming what belongs to me. 

“You may be right about that,” said Mr. King, “But I will be 

on my guard to see they don’t get away with either of us. I arn 
one of quick movements, and surprisingly quick and stout when 
excited or angry; am very sudden and sure shot with a revolver, 
and would be right in using one in cases of necessity for our 
defense and protection; particularly against such criminals as 
we are very probably going against, according to what you tell 
me, though I never saw any of them that I know of, or heard of 
them until I met you. I can very readily believe all you tell me 
about them, from my own past experience, besides the confi¬ 
dence I have always had in you from first sight. A confidence 
I have never had in any other; though others and Courts will not 
accept my word for it without proof of what you tell me. There 
is no telling what we might catch onto, if we can get some of 
them to write to us. At any rate, their acknowledgement of you, 
we must try and get for our defense. I am in favor of trying to 
get a letter from your said wealthy father, David Manuel, of 
Calistoga, California." 

“Why, that old black-looking, ruffian desperado, cannot 
read or write, and no doubt would come or send someone of his 
gang here to kill both of us if I write or inquire about him. His 
appearance and reputation is so bad in Napa, that people are 
afraid to give any correct account or opinion of him, because 
of their fear of the wicked-looking Mexicans he kept about the 
blacksmith shop for his protection. They were the worst looking 
Mexicans I ever saw, and apparently of the worst of their kind; 
though I am willing to risk it if you think it will be worth our 
while to run the risk,” I said. 

“I have no doubts they intend to dispose of both of us,” Mr. 
King said. “Some of them may be here now, watching for some 
kind of a chance at us. So where is the risk in trying to get 
letters from them? You can write nice letters, such as to give 
the impression that you have not the least suspicion of their 
attempts to ruin, rob you of property or murder you. You are 
known where they live as their relative. There would be 
nothing strange appearing about your writing to find how they 
are getting along, after being absent from them so long. We 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


273 


must try to do something- to discover and find evidence to show 
their plot and conspiracy, to save ourselves from them. We 
can never live—if we live at all—in any degree of safety or pros¬ 
perity until we do.” 

‘'All right, I will face it and do my best, as bad as I hate to 
acknowledge people to he my relatives who I believe beyond any 
doubt are responsible for the loss of my parents and true rela¬ 
tives I knew. I know that Laura attempted to murder me, several 
times; though it was done in a manner that I could not prove 
it on her, without other evidence I did not have." 

I wrote letters of inquiry to Sonoma County, California, and 
one letter to my said father, D. A. Manuel (also known as David 
Manuel), from which no reply came from him or any representa¬ 
tive. Answers came from the other letters, of which No.’s 3, 
4, 5, are the exact wordings and spellings; which I quote as evi¬ 
dence, having the originals with envelopes, evidence that they 
passed through the U. S. Mail: 


No. 3. 

Petaluma, Cal., Dec 26th 1892 

Mrs. J W King. 

Astoria Oregon. 

My Dear Madam. 

Your favour of the 20th was duly received this day making 
enquiry about your Father, David A. Manuel, the name was fa¬ 
miliar to me and on examining the great Register of Sonoma 
County, find David A. Manuel. Registered as living at sonoma 
City in this County, that is, his post office address is Sonoma, 
he lives at a place Called St louis, which is only a few miles from 
the Town there is also two Manuels, Registered at Santa Rosa 
one H. G. age 26 and Leroy 23, but David A. is aged 66 years, 
at the time of Registration last fall, we will write the old gen¬ 
tleman he will no doubt remember us at any rate we will do 
all we can to assist you in finding him, you need not make any 
nnoloMes for calling on us in this matter, we are at all times 
readySo do any little thing of that kind, it is the most Natural 
thing in the world that you should wish to find him, if possible 
and If we can help you which we are sure we can if he still lives 
and we think he does, we shall only be too glad to do it and 

~r ** ■* "ni-JILf tf l “Sr 

Fx Sheriff 


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LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


No. 4. 

Petaluma, Cal., January 21st 1893 

Mrs. J. W. King. 

Astoria, Oregon, 

Dear Madam, 

Your favour of the 18th, is before us, and in answer we will 
say that at the time we wrote you, we wrote D. A. Manuel, and 
directed our letter to Sonoma City, Sonoma County, Cal, in one 
of our envelopes, and it has not been returned to us, so we con¬ 
clude that some one has taken it from the Office, we have now 
written to G. W. Sparks, of Sonoma who was a county Officer 
during our Term, and he is now a Constable, and is well ac¬ 
quainted in that vicinity, no doubt he can give some information 
in regard to the matter, your Father may be Dead, but we have 
not heard of it, but it is certainly strange that he does not answer 
any one, we shall be glad if we can assist you in any way as 
coceive it to be not only our privolidge, but your duty to find if 
possible the wherabouts of your Father. 

yours very respectfully J. F. Dinwiddie. 

No. 5. 

Petaluma, Cal., February 4th 1893 

Mrs. J. W. King. Astoria. Oregon. 

Dear Madam. 

again replying to your favour of the 18 th of January, we will 
say that we wrote over to a friend in Sonoma, and we find that 
David A. Manuel lives in Sonoma or 4 miles from there, with his 
family, and my friend thinks there is no doubt but what he re¬ 
ceived your letter, he certainly received one from me, which he 
did not answer, he certainly has or thinks he has reasons for not 
answering, as of this I could not speak he is I am told a Member 
of the Masonic order in sonoma. we have now given you all the 
information we could, it is no trouble now for you to find him and 
he was well last week. 

yours very respectfully 

J. L. Dinwiddie 

Temple Dodge, 

No. 14 Sonoma City F and A M. 

This would find his Lodge in case of Death you could find 
out through the Secretary. 

When No.’s 3, 4, 5, were read, Mr. King said we had better try 
to get some letters from some of my other said Manuel relatives. 
I thought it would be better to first try a letter to my eldest 
said brother's wife, and wrote and sent a letter to her. We were 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


275 


slightly acquainted prior to their marriage. Omitting some per¬ 
taining to religion, No. 6 is an exact copy of the wording and 
spelling of extracts from the answer that came, with her name 
signed to the letter: 

No. 6. 


My Dear Sister Nellie. 


Escondido, San Diego, Co. Cal. 

July 28. 1893 


To say I was surprised to hear from you would be 
putting it mildly, by some mistake, the letter was forwarded to 
Geo while I was visiting my parents at Sausalito. so when 1 
came down here a few days ago. I did not know you were among 
the living until to-day when Geo ransacked his valise, .he threw 
me your letter after so long a time, therefore you will pardon 
my long delay in answering I know. 

I have not live in Fresno for nearly two years, we have our home 
rented out and I travel around with Geo. he has been very busy 
as Consulting Engineer of San Diego Co. therefore I am here 
most of the time with him boarding, our daughter Daisy has 
been with my mother at Sausalito, until this trip she is with us 
at Geo's request, we are in the best of health and in good spirits 
* * * considering the position Geo. holds he has been very suc¬ 
cessful * * * In regards to the rest of the folks, you no doubt 
knew of Aunt Lucy’s death in Oakland? she has been dead about 
a year now or more Uncle Geo is married again. I Avas in 
Fresno last May. and became acquainted with Gussie’s wife, they 
were married last December, she was a Miss Clark of San Fran¬ 
cisco. they were in Fresno until June when they went to the 
City, and Gussie is going to some business College while there is 
nothing to do on the ranch which he is forman of. Bro Louis is 
Engineer now in Fresno taking the place Geo held, he has giving 
him all his work there, and is doing nicely Neva has grown taller 
and heavier than I am. * * * Mother and Colburn are in good 
health they are taking life easier and do not work so hard, they 
have there house remodeled and refurnished, every thing looks 
nice and cozy, the other house Mother build besides hers on 
L Street, is always full besides the other houses they make a com¬ 
fortable living. . . i r r ^ 

Dear Nellie I hope you are as happy m your married li e a 

have been and that you may live a long and useful life 
Geo and Daisy join me in wishing best wishes and much love to 
both of you and that I may have the pleasure to hear from you 
soon again I remain as ever your sister 

Lizzie 



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The following letter was, or was supposed to be from my 
eldest said brother, George Manuel, who was also known as 
George S. Manuel; and is an exact copy of the wording and spell- 
ing of the letter: 

No. 7. 

“Winchester, San Diego Co., May 20, 1893 

Dear Nellie 

Yours of recent date addressed to Lizzie was forwarded 
to me here. To say that I was glad to hear from you would 
put it too mildly. I had lost, all track of you since you left Oak¬ 
land. I have charge of an irrigation district here; but expect to 
leave here for Escondido in about a week or ten days. I have not 
been at Fresno much for nearly a year past, have been engaged 
in schemes here and other parts of southern California 
Gus is married and is foreman & manager on a big raisin vine¬ 
yard in Fresno. Mother is growing old and feeble. She has 
had two sinking spells during the last year from which it was 
feared she would not rally at the time, so Louis writes me. She 
is well now. Aunt Lucy died something over a year ago, of can¬ 
cer. Uncle George is married again to one of Riley Griswold’s 
girls. I have not seen him or her since he was married. Daisy 
has been learning the photographer’s trade in San Francisco. I 
think she has about completed her apprenticeship. She has also 
taken lessons in crayon and painting in which she shows unusual 
talent. Hoping to hear from you again soon I will close. Please 
address as before at Fresno and it will be forwarded until fur¬ 
ther notice, as I may be in Escondido—Oceanside San Diego or 
this place. 

As ever your brother 

Geo Manuel. 

I told Mr King we must be on our guard from when we 
wrote letters of inquiry about my said father David and David A. 
Manuel, one of the four said Manuel brothers formerly of Napa, 
and sure enough, while letters 4 and 5 came, night marauders 
began to work secretly, quietly and cautiously at our hall doors 
and back frosted windows, to effect an entrance into our rooms, 
when all was still at night; but we were not asleep as the 
marauders supposed, when they began their work nights. Our 
doors and windows were securely fastened, while we quietly 
heard them walking in the hall—from the sound—in their socks, 
and we saw one of them standing at a frosted window, to our full 
view, trying to turn the fastener of the window. It sounded 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


277 


some nights as though there were several of them. Neither of 
us spoke to them, opened a door, or let on as though we knew 
what was going on in the hall; but sat prepared for them in case 
they attempted to cut their way throug a window or door. Know¬ 
ing they would be prepared, should Mr. King open a door or win¬ 
dow ; for they were not there for robbery. Staying awake nights 
on guard and carrying on business daytime, was too much for 
both of us. As a consequence, Mr King had to give up his work 
for a while to get necessary sleep and rest, and be my protector; 
so that I could rest my mind and nerves and keep up with my 
dressmaking. I was responsible for some expensive mat'reial and 
dresses on hand, and had girls employed. Those occupying 
rooms on the same floor of the building, said they supposed the 
nightly invadors of the hall, were there for the purpose of 
robbery; but wondered why they were more persistent about 
our doors than theirs, and we did not tell them why. The pro¬ 
prietors of the building and the police were notified. The police 
promised to keep sharp lookout to see who entered the entrance 
door nights from the street, and the roomers were given- pass¬ 
keys to the same, as a preventative of the night marauders enter¬ 
ing the hall. 

“I guess you were right in saying the old desperado would 
send some of his gang to do us up,” said Mr. King. “It appears 
very much like it. All was going smoothly with us until you 
wrote letters of inquiry about him. These letters from your 
gang at Fresno, are very endearing to you. They put out the 
impression that Augustus is one of some education and capabil¬ 
ities and book learning, as well as being one of considerable 
ability as foreman and manager of an extensive vineyard enter¬ 
prise; and not the kind of a person you have represented him 
to be, to me. They do not put forth the poverty role in these 
letters, as you tell me they have done in the past with you. 
How do you account for this change in them?” 

“There rs no change in them,” I said. “They put out such 
impressions to persons and people not acquainted with them. 
Believing that you will read their letters and knowing that 
you are a stranger to them, they wish to decidedly impress you 
with the idea, that they are true blood relation to me. Augustus 
told me himself that he was excused from school attendance, 


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because he could not apply his mind to book learning. Up to 
when I lived with them in Fresno, he told me that he had not yet 
learned to read or write. Gus could not do a foreman s part on 
any ranch or vineyard, where ability or management is required 
to make a success. He is not so constituted, and you will agree 
with me if you ever have a chance to find out for yourself.” 

“Oh—I believe what you say about them, he said. “I have 
seen and heard people like them before. I would like to test 
their affections for you, and don't know of any better and more 
useful plan than money matters. They are so flourishing and 
pleased with their family ability and talent, maybe they will give 
up, to keep up their deceptions. I ought to get some money from 
them to make up for what they are causing me to lose by being 
home here." 

“I believe they are very well supplied with money and prop¬ 
erty,” I replied, “but they never have been in favor of my having 
any, and I do not belive they will stand very much of a test. I 
think it may give you some evidence as to what they are, and 
I am in favor of it." 

We were talking of building a small boat of some kind, and 
wrote to George S. Manuel, my eldest said brother, for fifty 
dollars ($50.00) towards it, from which I recieved the money 
order and following reply: 

No. 8. 

^Winchester, San Diego Co., Cal., Aug 10 1893 

Dear Nellie 

Enclosed you will find M. O. for $30.00 Thirty dollars. 
I sent you $20.00 several days ago, which will make up the 
$50.00 you requested Hoping that this may accomplish what 
you desire I remain 

Your brother 

Geo Manuel. 

No.’s 9 and 10 are letters from my said half-sister, Geneva 
Colburn, who signs her name as Neva, and are exact copies of 
the wording and spelling of the originals: 


No. 9. 


Fresno Cal. 
March, 21 94 

Dear Sister Nellie. 

We received your letter and 
was glad to hear from you. We will send you $5 this month. 


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279 


We cannot send you more because it can’t be collected. Gussie 
is married. Hard times over took him, so that his wife had to 
go home. Gussie has only lately got work. Louis has not had 
work for some time. Pa doesn’t work because he has got too 
old. We will send you money when ever Ma has it. What is 
your boat. Steamer or sailing vessel. We have been having very 
windy weather here, but now the sun is out, and it is very 
pleasant. It will be nice when you get your ship rigged. I think 
it would be a nice way to live unless it is to cold. We will send 
you some papers to read. Hoping to hear from you soon. 

Your Dear Sister Neva. 

P. S.—Next time I will write a longer letter to you. • Excuse 
poor writing as I am in such a hurry. 

No. 10. 

“Fresno, May 14. 

Dearest Nellie. 

I received your letter morning 
and was glad to hear from you. We were also glad to hear that 
you were going to start. Ma sends you six dollars with this 
mail. Ma says she would send you more if she only had it. But 
it just seems impossible to get any money, and when the money 
does come there seems to be so much to spend it for. We'were 
very sorry to hear that you had been sick, and hope you will be 
well when this letter reaches you. We have had very queer weather 
lately. Friday, Saturday, & Sunday was very warm. Monday 
the rain poured down in torrents. I suppose it rained all over 
the coast. Gussie is working now. He is foreman on a large 
fruit ranch near the foot hills. If the place suits him, he will 
send for his wife and baby. We are all well and have the best 
of health. Hoping you will be the same. I remain as ever your 
dear sister, with love to you and Mr. King. Your dear sister 

Neva. 

I conducted my business morally and respectably. My 
patrons were of the best in the city of Astoria and surrounding 
country; more, I was friendly and sociable with many of them, 
treated my help right, and have no doubts that both Mr. King 
and I have yet friends living in that part of the country who will 
remember us, though they never knew our troubles and the 
struggles we were undergoing; that Mr. King had given up all 
to try to protect and shield me from my gang, and is worthy of 
their respect and sympathy; yet with all considered, some patrons 
called after working hours, saying they would like to have some 
nice dresses made, and one of them brought expensive material 
to he made into dresses for the “World’s Fair,” apologizing for 


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calling after dressmaking hours, saying that quite a number of 
ladies 1 ,’ members of the M. E. Church, of Astoria, were going 
about to various people and business men of the city, threaten¬ 
ing to ruin their business, if they permitted their wives to bring 
any more dresses to me to make. When I inquired their reasons 
for so doing, their answers were to the effect: That they could 
not learn from them their object or cause more than they would 

say: . 1 

“Mrs. King’s charges are too high to have her make dresses 

for us. She charges more for her work than any dressmaker in 
Astoria. She is too high for us, and we don’t propose to allow 
her to continue in the dressmaking business in Astoria.” 

“Who are the ladies?” I inquired. 

“They are all of them members of our church,” one of them 
said, “but not any of them are acquaintances or patrons of yours. 
As many as eleven of them travel in a bunch going about threat 
ening business people who patronize you.” 

“We would like to have some nice dresses made to wear at 
the ‘World’s Fair,’ ” said one. “You are the only dressmakei 
in this part of the country, who can make them to suit us. We 
c^iYie here after dark, so that we would not be seen, and have 
mv husband’s business interfered with on account of it.” 

Neither Mr. King nor I were members of any church, and 
did not persecute those who were members. Quite a number of 
my patrons were Methodists, with whom I was friendly. To have 
ladies going about doing their best to break up my business, was 
very insulting, where there was no right cause for it, and was 
worse than we expected, believing beyond any doubt, that my 
gang were the principle, if not all the cause of it; and our per¬ 
secution together began at Astoria, and not until we wrote letters 
of inquiry about why my said father, the ruffian desperado (who 
was one of the four), did not send a reply to the letter I wrote 
him, after telling people that I was his “little gal.” Readers, 
this is a sample of undermining work of my gang, who are in 
possession of my inheritance, while feigning affection for us, 
which some of them cannot carry out, as you may see by other 
letters to follow. If Mr. King ever had any doubts of any I bad 
thus far told him about them, our experience at Astoria, is giving 
him some convincing evidence, and that it is not hallucination on 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


281 


my part, as my gang had represented against me for their pro¬ 
tection. Our persecution would not admit of our being church 
members, had we so desired. My busy time for summer trade 
was over after the Fourth of July, 1893. While finishing the 
dresses on hand, Mr. King and I talked over our affairs and 
decided to rest our minds and nerves and recruit our health by 
groine several miles from the citv of Astoria into the thick ever- 
green forests near Young’s river, where the birds flit and sing, 
and wild berries abounded, and make it our home for a while; 
there enjoy ourselves and lay plans for the future; there also, to 
keep up a correspondence with members of my said and alleged 
relatives, that we had already begun; for I wanted Mr. King to 
get well convinced and satisfied, as to what they would prove 
to be to both of us. A friend let us have the use of his boat for 
pleasure, and leaving dressmaking sign and furniture as it was, 
with a promise from our next-door roomers to tell patrons who 
called, that we had gone away for a vacation, we departed foi 
the river, the streamlets, bushes and tall timber, to a two-roomed, 
unpainted, rough-board house, hid among the timber in an out- 
of-a-way place, where we were not liable to be sought for or 
found by objectionables, near a neighboring settlement of well- 
to-do farmers, from whom we could buy some of our supplies if 
necessary. We had no water-rent, house-rent, wood-bills here to 
meet, where Mr. King could go to and from the city through 
cover of brush and timber unobserved by those of human form, 
could bring out necessary supplies from the city, mail letters and 
o- e t return answers through the Postoffice, without there being 
much danger of his being followed without observation. 

We had been in the woods several days and nights, when we 
heard a cat call after dark in the evening, near our front door, 
that I recognized to be a friendly voice. Being especially fond 
of cats, I started at once to find it, against Mr. King’s excited 
protestations and warnings of danger. 

“These woods are full of wild animals prowling about nights. 
That is very probably a wild cat, and very liable to tear you to 
pieces, if you go out there and attempt to pick it up,” he said. 

Something I cannot explain, impelled me to go out and in¬ 
terview the cat, feeling there was no danger. With the door wide 
open to give light, in which Mr. King stood with a revolver to 


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use if necessary for my pretection, I could see its shining eyes 
from where it was concealed behind a bush. After some little 
coaxing and petting, it willingly allowed me to pick it up, when 
I found its weight to be more than any tame cat I had hitherto 

attempted to lift. 

‘‘Get away from the door! 1 I called out, it is a heavy one, 
but so far is gentle, and I am going to bring it into the house. 

It is purring—a sign that it is gentle. 

“A wild cat!” said Mr. King, as I brought it through the 
door. “It is a powerful animal, and has a nose on it like a lion. 

Interruptingly I said: “See! It has closed its paws as a 
precaution against scratching me—it is so gentle. ’ 

I carried it to the fireplace where the fire was burning, placed 
it on a stool, petted and admired it, when it put out its paw to 
feel of the fire. 

“It is a wild cat, I think. It don t know what fire is. I 

said. 

“Of course it is a wild cat!” said Mr. King. “There is 
something strange I cannot account foi, about its coming here 
and being so docile and affectionate with you. Why, I don't 
believe anyone else would ever attempt to do the same as you 
have done with a wild cat, and get away with it, without getting 

hurt.” i 

“Maybe it was sent to us,” I replied. “You like animals, 
come and make friends with it. I don’t think it will be cross 
or dangerous to you.” 

Sure enough, it was as harmless and affectionate with Mr. 
King as with me. 

“What a fine big fellow you are, Tommy,” Mr. King said 
admiringly, while fondling our guest, and we named the cat 
Tommy—the pride of the home. Tommy made his home with 
us from that night on; proved to be an honest, faithful friend to 
us, willing to give his life at any moment he thought necessary 
to guard, protect and defend us from harm, better than any 
watch dog could he; though we were the only two human forms, 
so far as we could learn, that Tommy would allow to touch him, 
or make friends. Tommy traveled with us through the woods 
when we went fishing, would wade in water, became our com¬ 
panion, and would never go away from the house if he knew that 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


283 


one of us was there alone; but would stay on guard until the 
other returned. 

It so happened that Mr. King went to the city for supplies 
one forenoon after Tommy had gone for a stroll in the brush, 
while I remained in the house for his return; when during the 
afternoon a man appeal'd at the cabin and inquired for Mr. King. 

“I am expecting him every minute/’ I replied, “Be seated 
until his return.” 

Though the stranger was properly behaved, explaining that 
he was acquainted with Mr. King, I did not like the idea of being 
there alone with him, with our surrounding circumstances. The 
stranger was no more than seated, when Tommy appeared on 
the scene, eyed the stranger fiercely, pacing to and fro restlessly 
between us, lashing his tail from side to side; which annoyed and 
frightened the caller until he took his departure. Tommy darted 
into the brush to secretly follow the man until he saw him a safe 
distance from the house, then returned lashing his tail and talk¬ 
ing in his cat language that I understood to mean: I have 
driven him away at a safe distance; for which I praised and 
encouraged him. Tommy then sprang into my lap and rubbed 
his head against my face affectionately. . Tommy and Mr. King 
rejoiced together when the latter returned home a half an hour or 
so after the stranger had gone, and Tommy’s supper consisted of 
the best the house afforded. 

After a year and a half in the woods and one of the most 
enjoyable times we ever had together, our Tommy came home 
with injuries—we thought he had been shot—from which he died. 
We buried our faithful friend that we both believed was sent to 
us, with regrets and tears at his loss. Feeling unsafe to remain 
there in the woods any longer, we returned to Astoria, and went 
from there to Portland. We had written another letter of inquiry 
about my said father, the ruffian desperado, when Tommy came 
home injured, the answer from which, Mr. King requested to be 
forwarded to Portland. Mr .King was employed on the steamers 
of the O. R. & N. Co., when we went to Portland. A letter was 
forwarded to Portland, of which No. 11 is an exact copy of the 
wording and spelling; which I quote in evidence that there were 
four men known in Napa County and vicinity, State of California, 
as the four Manuel brothers, whom I have previously described. 


2g4 LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 

The brother accused of the murder committed in Dave’s black¬ 
smith shop in 1867, was the fourth brother, whose mention is 
omitted in all letters of the gang to us. This was my first in¬ 
formation of the whereabouts or resident place of the said Hiram 
C. Manuel (one of the four), which had been concealed from my 
knowledge since a child; whom I never saw, that I know of. 


No. 11. 

Sonoma Valley Bank. 

David Burris, President. 

Fred T. Duhring, Vice-President. 

Jesse Burris, Cashier. 

Sonoma, Cal., beb. 8th 189a 

Nellie Manuel, 

Madam:— _ i 

David A. Manuel is a member of our temple Dodge 

No. 14, F. and A. M. 

He resides at Calistoga, Napa County, California. 

His brother George W., lives in Oakland, Cal., and his 

brother, Hiram C., here. 

Very truly Robert A. Poppe, Sec y. 

Mr. King was handed a letter from the Portland Postoffice, 
from my said half-sister, Geneva Colburn, who signs herself 
Neva; written for her mother, Laura C. Colburn, who is my said 
mother, and a former wife of the alleged David Manuel (one of 
the four, who is also known in Napa City as David A. Manuel), 
which was written in the year of 1895, and not 1894, according 
to the letter. No. 12. is an exact copy of the wording and spell¬ 
ing of it: 

No. 12. 


Fresno, Cal. March 18th 94. 

Dear Nellie, 

Your letter was received here this morning, 
and I hasten to answer. Mother received a telegram, but she 
says she does not know Mr. King, and does not know what right 
he has to telegraph here for money. Ma says you used to support 
yourself before you was married, and if your husband cannot sup¬ 
port you, why don’t you come back to California and not stay 
there and’ starve. You have been sent considerable money, but 
I think you have had but very little of it. Remember Pm to old 
to be recived. Times have been as hard in Calif., as in Oregon. 
People live in Oregon, have plenty to eat and plenty to wear, 
and it is very strange you have got a husband that cant support 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


285 


you two. I will send you $5 hoping that you will get a little of it. 
Please let me know what you intend to do. Stay in Oregon & 
starve or come back to Calif. Your dear Mother, Mrs. Colburn. 
Dear Nellie I’m very sorry for your misfortune, but can not 
do any thing for you my self. Hoping you will be well and better 
off when this reaches you. 

Your sister Neva. 

The foregoing No. 12, was the last money order we received 
from any of my gang, and the total amount we received from all 
of them together, would not exceed ninety dollars ($90.00), and 
terminated our correspondence with them, as well. This letter 
also shows how my said mother Laura C., was seeking an accu¬ 
sation against my husband, whom she never saw, and acknowl¬ 
edges she did not know, after sending so much affection to us 
both through Geneva’s letters to me. This is the woman who had 
helped to rob me out of a fortune and had attempted to murder 
me. 

Mr. King insisted on my giving up dressmaking in Portland, 
while he was employed on steamers, and absent from. home. 
Money was what we needed, and though I did not keep open 
dressmaking parlors, I took private orders and made dresses 
with locked doors, to protect myself. 

The letter from Mrs. Groves, of Redding, Shasta County, 
California, was not the only information that came to us, that my 
death had been reported and my Death Certificate signed. While 
we were residents of Portland, State of Oregon, Mr. King came 
home one evening with information, some of which, was as 
follows: 

“By chance and accident,” said Mr. King, “I met and was 
introduced to a California acquaintance of yours, who knew you 
when you lived with your said mother, brothers and step-father. 
Mrs. Groves must have told the truth, when she wrote you 
that you had been reported dead, and your Death Certificate 
signed; for I had an argument on the Steamer today, on the same 
subject, with a man who told me that it would be impossible 
for me to be married to the Nellie Manuel who was a com¬ 
positor on ‘The Fresno Republican.’ ‘Why that lady has been 
dead for years,’ he said.” 

“ ‘You are wrong about that,’ I said, ‘That party is my wife, 
and was alive when I last saw her two days ago.' ” 


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LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 

“ ‘You might be married to one by the same name, claiming 
to be that party, but I know that party is dead, and has been dead 
for years/ the man persisted." 

“ ‘How are you so sure of it?’ I asked. Please explain, 1 
would like to know.’ ” 

“ ‘Why I was personally acquainted with her and her rela¬ 
tives in Fresno, when she was a compositor on ‘The Fresno Re¬ 
publican.’ T was present in the Court, when her Death Certifi¬ 
cate was produced by her eldest brother, George Manuel, and 
her property divided among her brothers, George, Louis and 
Augustus Manuel. So you see that I am not mistaken. Lou ha\e 
married some one who is personating the true Nellie Manuel, 
the sister of George, Louis and Augustus Manuel.' ” 

“ ‘I will prove to you that my wife is the party you speak of, 
if we live long enough/ I told him. ‘Where was the property that 
belonged to my wife, and where was her Death Certificate signed 
and produced?’ I asked.” 

“ ‘If you can produce your wife and prove to me that she 
is the same Nellie Manuel who was the compositor on the 
‘Fresno Repulican,—there never was but one—then I will explain 
matters to her; for I must be sure, that she is the right party I 
have reference to,’ was the man's final answer, and I could get 
no more information from him.” 

“You see I was right about getting letters and money from 
some of your said relatives, to have them acknowledge your 
identity, and that you were living, don’t you?” said Mr. King. 

“You were right,” I replied, “according to the circumstances. 
I think now, there is nothing they will not attempt to do, in the 
way of crime, if they think they can safely get away with it, with¬ 
out getting caught and exposed.” 

Seven years later, Mr. King did produce his wife to the same 
man, who, at sight of me, took on a look of astonishment, turned 
whiter, and sank into a chair. 

“Do you know her? Do you know me?” Mr. King asked him. 

“Y es — I know her—I know you both,” the man said. 

“Is she the Nellie Manuel you knew when a compositor on 
‘The Fresno Republican’ newspaper, the true Nellie Manuel, the 
said sister of George, Louis and Augustus Manuel, the said 
daughter of I,aura C. Colburn?” Mr. King asked the man. 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


287 


“Tes,” said the man, “she is the one and right party I told 
you about/’ 

“Th en she is not dead, nor personating any deceased Nellie 
Manuel, is she?” Mr. King asked him. 

“No, she is who she says she is, and there are plenty here 
witness to it. You can depend on that,” said the man. 

“Was there anything against her reputation here?” Mr. King 
asked the man. 

“Her reputation was of the best here, as far as I knew and 
heard,” said the man. 

“Then why not tell us where the property is located, that 
belonged to me, that was divided among my said brothers, 
George, Louis and Augustus Manuel, and which Court my 
Death Certificate was produced in, by my eldest said brother, 
George Manuel?” 1 asked the man I had known during my resi¬ 
dence in Fresno, prior to the year of 1886. 

“That would place both myself and family in too much 
danger,” said the man. “If you can get your gang arrested and 
locked up, then you may call on me as a witness, and -I will 
answer the truth to questions put to me, as far as I know and 
can; not before.” 

This man’s name I withhold, for his protection, as readers 
will see. 

We had been residents of Portland over a year, when night 
marauders began their endeavors by attempting to turn the key 
in our hall door, that was securely fastened nights when Mr. 
King was absent on the Steamer. This only occurred when he 
was absent. I then kept a pet cat with me nights on guard, that 
would come and wake me noiselessly when anyone was at the 
door, and growl when I spoke to any outside, understanding the 
danger. I could then hear them taking their flight through the 
hall. I would then complain to the proprietor, after which their 
nightly attempts to effect an entrance during my sleep, would 
cease for awhile, then begin again. From the sound of the feet, 
that was faint, there were generally more than one; there might 
have always been more than one. Other roomers were undis¬ 
turbed by them in the same building, as far as I could learn. Mr. 
King thought it might be better for us to change our place of 
residence and go farther away from the gang. After finding 


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another rooming place and making special arrangements with 
some explanations for my safety, he got the Company to transfer 
him to a Steamer on the Snake river, State of Idaho, during the 
latter part of 1896; saying that he would “try the run,” see how 
he liked the town of Lewiston, and if all appeared well enough, 
would have the Company give me a pass to Lewiston. 

During August, 1897, I received a letter from Mr. King, say¬ 
ing that he was dangerously ill—had been poisoned to come to 
him as soon as possible. I procured a pass from the Company, 
succeeded in getting away from Portland without unnecessary 
delay, and proceeded to Lewiston, Idaho, finding Kir. King alive, 
walking about the Steamer, though looking and acting very dl; 

I feeling rejoiced to find him alive. 

a I have no enemies on the Steamer, that I konw of, he 
said, “though I feel sure by my symptoms and feelings, that 
poison of some kind was in some of my food or drink and it 
appeared as though one or two more got some of it, from their 
symptoms. For three days and nights, it was a question with me, 
whether I would live or die, and it is by force of will, that I am 
keeping up now; yet I think the effects of the poison is wearing 
off, and I will feel better in a few days. Rooms and houses for 
rent, are hard to find now in Lewiston, but I succeeded in find¬ 
ing one room for rent, on the principal street, the safest place I 
could find, that would do until you could get located and find 

rooms.” 

“Then you must quit the Steamer and go there with me,” 
I said. “You should not be trying to do anything in your state of 
health. I came to take care of you, and you must quit the boat 
until you are feeling well. It appears to me as though the gang 
are responsible for the poison placed in your food and drink. I 
have been afraid they would try to get at you first, so that they 
could destroy you as a witness, an heir of what belongs to me, 
and get a better chance at me when you are out of their way. ’ 

Mr. King took to his bed soon after my arrival in Lewiston. 
I sent for two doctors, who called often and prescribed medicine 
often. I watched and attended Mr. King alone, night and day, 
most of the time, doing my best to look and talk cheerful when 
he was awake, observing that the least noise or worry caused him 
to fail; though when he slept, I wept most of the time. It was 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


289 


a week or so, from the time the two doctors called, when I 
dreamed that the following morning I would find him dying; and 
I felt as though I would soon follow. Though his suffering was 
intense at times, I wondered if it could he any worse than my 
mental suffering. When I inquired how he felt in the morning, 
his answer was: 

“I can feel myself going. I will not be with you tomorrow, 
unless I change for the better today.” 

“I cannot bear the thought of your dying now, Jim,” I said, 
“You must not die—I will call another doctor immediately.” 

Dr. Brown, a new-comer in Lewiston, had been recommended 
to me the day before, who came in a few minutes. I think the 
doctor took pity on us both, Avhen he saw the expression of our 
faces, and felt that he had come with the determination to do 
his best. 

“Your husband is a very sick man,” he said, “and cannot 
live, unless he changes for the better within the next two hours; 
yet I have hopes of saving him, and will try my best. Your 
husband is suffering from the effects of poison.” 

Then I explained that Mr. King had been poisoned while on 
the Steamer, and had sent for me. The doctor prepared medicine 
to be given every fifteen minutes, a drop at a time. 

“If this will not do the work,” he said, “I cannot save him. 
I will call in an hour and see how he is getting along.” 

What an awful suspense this was to me! Mr. King was all 
I had; and I a stranger in a strange place—the hunted victim of 
a murderous conspiracy, from which it was now a question 
whether my husband would live or die!” 

I kept saying to the effect: “Keep up your courage, Jim, 
I have more confidence in Dr. Brown, than any doctor I have yet 
talked to. I believe he undersands what ought to be done for 
you, and intends to do his best to save you.” 

At the lapse of half an hour or so, Mr. King said he thought 
he was changing for the better, and his face took on a more 
hopeful expression. 

“I believe that medicine is helping me, Doctor, my wife says 
she has more confidence in you than any doctor she has yet talked 
to,” he told the Doctor when he called. 


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The doctor looking pleased and encouraged, replied: “You 
are looking better, and I have hopes of saving you. It is very en¬ 
couraging to me to find two like you and Mrs. King, who 
appreciate my efforts. It is the good care your wife is giving you, 
that will be the saving of you from now on.” 

Dr. E. Brown was attentive and cheerful company during 
his calls, and Mr. King slowly improved, with the best we 
could do for him, and we spoke of the Doctor as our “worthy 
friend.” Some of both Steamer crews came during Mr. King's 
illness, to inquire how he was getting along, offering their ser¬ 
vices and financial aid. Three months had passed, before Mr. 
King was able to dress and go out on the sidewalk for a few 
minutes’ walk at a time, and when the spring of 1898 arrived, 
yet weak, as a result of the poisoning, he insisted, against my 
protests, on going back on the Steamer; saying the kind of work 
he would do would not be too much for him; that “the runs on 
the river, fresh air,” etc., he believed, would improve both 
health and strength; that he must earn money to help carry us 
through. Promising me faithfully to be on his guard against 
danger from the gang and getting poisoned, he returned to the 
Steamer. The same year, we began occupying a small house by 
ourselves on Snake River Avenue, where I put out my dress¬ 
making sign, where I became known in Lewiston and near towns, 
as Mrs. J. W. King, dressmaker; using my husband’s initials to 
conceal my name Eleanor and Nellie Manuel, on account of the 
gang. Mr. King was Steward of the Steamer Lewiston, where 
he had continued since his illnesss without any vacation, and 
was again failing, from the loss of too much necessary sleep; 
when I insisted on his taking a vacation. This was during the 
month of April, 1899. We had neither of us written any more 
letters of inquiry to or about the gang, since the arrival of No. 
12, and I had, by this time, become well known and established 
as a dressmaker, in the City of Lewiston, State of Idaho. 

SKETCH 37. 

It was a warm day in summer, 1899. Our small residence 
on Snake River Avenue, was very near the sidewalk; two of 
the windows and kitchen door were open to let in air and breeze; 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


291 


Mr. King was home on a vacation, and then a short distance 
from the house doing a little repairing on a chicken house for 
one of our nearest neighbors, Mrs. Kroutinger. It was between 
12 m. and 1 p. m., when I was alone in the house, and heard 
raps at the fiont door. Supposing it to be some one to see 
about a dress, 1 opened the front door without any suspicion of 
danger, where stood confronting me, a light-complexioned white 
man—a young man, near the size and height of Mr. King; who 
feigned the deaf and dumb act, by withdrawing pencil and pocket 
book from his garments and beginning to write, to draw my 
attention, while he slipped a foot in the door-way to prevent my 
closing it. While writing, the stranger suddenly forced himself 
into the room, caught hold of one hand, while I held fast to the 
door-knob with the other, pulling towards a closed door of the 
same room, that led to a room that was darkened by the blind 
being drawn. \\ bile in this act, I repeated screams for “Jim, 
come quick and save me!” At my repeated screams for help, 
the stiangei slackened nis efforts to pull me from the doorknob ; 
stepped aside, still holding fast my hand, to look through the two 
open doorways to see if any one was coming to my rescue ; 
when Mr. King came into view with hatchet in hand, that he had 
been using to repair the chicken house. Then the stranger and 
apparently would-be assassin, immediately vacated the room 
and was on the sidewalk in front of the house, by the time Mr. 
King got to the front door. Supposing my gang would be pre¬ 
pared for emergencies in their schemes and plots of crime, and 
protect themselves by the use of their money and as many false 
witnesses as required, I thought of giving them no unnecessary 
chances at us, where we had neither evidence nor witness for our 
protection or defense. I therefore prevened Mr. King from do¬ 
ing any violence to the apparently would-be assassin, when he 
came excitedly inquiring the cause of the disturbance, by saying: 

‘T was trying to prevent that deaf, dum or drunken man on 
the side-walk, from going through the house, and called for 
your help.” 

The man then feigned drunkenness, staggering about the 
side-walk, and when Mr. King demanded an explanation for his 
conduct, answered in broken English, like one dazed, to the effect: 


292 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


That he had made a mistake by going to the wrong house, not 
knowing where he was. 

When the stranger thought his answers had pacified Mr. King, 
he staggered in the direction of the principle business street of 
the town, until hid from view by trees along the low wall fence 
at the front of the Kroutinger residence, when Mr. King said: 

“I have doubts of that fellow, and I’m going to conceal 
myself at the side of Kroutinger’s fence, to see how he acts.” 

At his first glance from the side of he fence, I saw him break 
and run in the direction the man had taken, and I stepped out on 
the sidewalk, where I saw them both running full speed, and turn 
up Main street, where they were hid from view. Mr. King 
returning within half an hour, said: 

“That man was shamming drunkenness. He was no more 
drunk than you or I. He was running, when I saw him by 
Kruotinger’s fence, and I tried my best to overtake him. I was 
gaining on him, and saw him cross Main street to the Masonic 
Temple. I was only a little ways behind him when I reached 
the same corner, when he had disappeared. I inquired of several 
men in the vicinity where the man disappeared, who told me they 
neither saw the man I described, or could think of anyone they 
knew, of the same description. That fellow was here for mis¬ 
chief of some kind. There is no telling what he had his mind 
made up to do, when you called me.” 

“Who lives in the nearest house to the Masonic Temple?” 
I inquired. 

Mr. King answered: “A family by the name of Coburn. 
They are old-timers here. The old man is a Justice of the Peace 
here.” 

I replied: “I wonder if they are any relation to my said step¬ 
father, or any of his outfit?” 

“Oh no!” he said. “Their name is Coburn. Your said step¬ 
father’s name is Colburn. There are others by the name of Col¬ 
burn, besides your said step-father and relatives. It don't look 
reasonable to me that members of your gang can be living in 
every town and city we go to. I’m sorry I mentioned the name, 
because you’ll worry now, and imagine the Coburn’s here are 
related to some of your gang.” 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


293 


I had instructed Mr. King about dressmaking, before we left 
Astoria, so that he could be proficient help to me, in cases of 
danger, emergencies, etc., when it would be necessary for us 
to stay near together for our protection from the gang, who as 
can be seen, were determined that we should not live. And Mr. 
King was a better cook and housekeeper than myself, from his 
experience on Steamers as cook and Steward; though he could 
do considerable better in money matters at his own occupation, 
than helping me at home. But the time had arrived when I saw 
that we must work on my case; work hard, and fortify ourselves 
from danger. It was a force put with us—we had no other al¬ 
ternative, and I told him so. 

I said: “Jim,” it is awful to live day by day with murder 
staring us in the face, from the gang; and I will begin this even¬ 
ing to give you more complete explanation about them and myself, 
than I have hitherto. When I tell you more about how the man 
acted, who you chased down the street today, I think you will see 
the necessity of our keeping together for our protection. We never 
do get tired of each other’s company, and will try to make our 
efforts at detective work interesting. We can talk on the case 
and hold consultations over it evenings, and attend to business 
through the day; besides, think of all the letters there are to be 
written, and planning how to write them.” 

“I am willing to do most anything I can towards running 
down your gang, and like to be with you at home ; but we need 
money and must have money, and I don’t like the idea of you; 
working continuously at dressmaking. It is certainly a hard pass 
that we have come to, when I am compelled to quit work to stay 
at home to prevent you from being murdered by men rushing 
into the house off of the street in broad daylight; although it 
encourages me in thinking your case may be easy to get at, if we 
can get on the right track to run it down. And I will try staying 
at home for awhile to see what can be done.” 

“That will suit me fine,” I said, “As long as I have any kind 
of health, I am better satisfied when making dresses than to be 
idle, thinking too much about our danger and what the gang 
has done to us both. And pleasant company and to see you 
alive and safe from them every day, will give me much more en¬ 
couragement.” 

( 10 ) 


294 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


Mr. King was desperate when I gave him a full account of 
how the man had acted that he had chased down the stieet, and 
entered into the work with determination. After consultations, he 
thought it would be better to first try to find out about the 
property that Dave and Laura acknowledged to the Court of 
Napa County, California, was theirs, at the time of their Divorce 
Proceedings. While on the Steamer, Mr. King became acquainted 
with ex-Congressman, James W. Reed, who he consulted about 
how to obtain some information from Court Records from Napa 
County, California, who communicated with Attorneys for us, as a 
favor; of which No. 13 is an exact copy of the wording and 
spelling of his answer, that he gave to us: 

No. 13. 

Clerk of Napa County, 

State of California 

Jas. W. Reed. Napa, Cal., December 30th, 1899. 

Attorney at Law. 

Dear Sir,—In reply to your letter I will say that, they is no 
Esate in this Court of one Davind A. Manuel, I think the party 
that you are inquiring about is still living hear in the Valley at a 
place called Calistoga, the part that I speak of is about 73 years 
old and I see that his wife Laura C Manuel brought suit against 
him for divorce in the year 1868, but the suit was dismissed on 
motion of the attorneys for plaintiff. The Manuel I speak of is 
David A. Manuel and he lives at Calistoga Cal, and is in prety 
good circumstances. If they is any other information I can give 
you please let me know, the Manuel that I know hear is married 
and has four children. Yours very truly, 

N. W. COLLINS, County Clerk. 

The following No.’s 14, 15, 16, 17, are the wordings and 
spellings of communications to me, as will be seen, from Webber 
& Rutherford, Attorneys-at-Law, of Napa City, State of Califar- 
nia, as they came from the Postoffice, U. S. M., of Lewiston, 
Nez Perce County, State of Idaho: 

No. 14. 

Webber & Rutherford, 

Attorneys-At-Law. 

Mrs. James W. King, February 10th, 1900. 

Snake River Ave., 

Lewiston, Idaho. 

Dear Madam:—Yours of the 3rd, inst. addressed to our county 
clerk Mr. N. W. Collins, has been refered to our office by Mr. 


LINKS of mystery and their unveiling. 


295 


Collins with other letters, and communications regarding other 
matters, and we will reply by saying that if you so desire wt 
shall make personal investigation of this matter for you, and if 
we can recover any of the property you speak of will take same on 
a commission. 

Our Mr. Webber is familiar with some of the property men¬ 
tioned being a life long resident here, and we shall if you will 
instruct us give the matter a thorough examination. 

Kindly advise us in the premises, and awaiting the same, 

We remain very truly yours, 

Webber & Rutherford 


No. 15. 

Wallace T. Rutherford, E- F. \V ebber. 

WEBBER & RUTHERFORD, 

Attorneys- At-Law, 

Winship Block. - Rooms 1 and 2. 

NAPA, CALIFORNIA. 

February 12th. 1900. 

Mrs. James W. King, 

Snake River Ave., , 

Lewiston, Idaho. 

Dear MadamFollowing our letter of yesterday to you, we will 
now say that a member of our office had made a short investi¬ 
gation into the matter, and find the following state of facts. 
Your father, David C. Manuel on the 8th of June, 1870 begain 
suit in what was then the District Court, for a divorce against 
your mother Laura C. Manuel, alleging desertion. On the 18th. 
day of Tune, 1870 a decree of divorce was granted your father, 
and Lewis and Augustus Manuel Children of the marriage were 
awared to your father, while Geo. and Flenor were awared to 
your mother. The property belonging to the community then, 

consisted of the following: , . 7 , XT 

Lot one Block 15 of Napa City. Lot 6 of Block 3 of Napa 
Abaio The N. W. quarter of Sec. 13. N. Half of N. F. Quarter 
of Sec. 14 and S. F. Quarter of Sec. 11 all in Township 6 of 
Range 27, situated in Davis County, State of Missouri consisting 
of 320 acres. Also the S. W. quarter of Sec. 24 Township 13 S. 
of R. 22 Fast M. D. M. situated in Fresno, California, containing 

160 acres. 

Your mother secured after the divorce a portion of lot 
one Block 15 consisting of dewelling house and lot, also lot 6 
Block 3 of Napa Abajo. 

The balance of the Napa property, together with the Missouri 
ranch went to your father, and the Fresno property went to your 

m0t Your mother shortly after married one Cobhurn, and in 
1875 applied to the court to vacate the decree of divorce, so far 


296 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


as related to the custody of Lewis and Augustus, and that they 
be given to her, which the court did under a decree dated June 8th, 
1875, and requiring her to give a bond in the sum of $1000 that 
she would faithfully educate etc. these two children, which bond 
she gave by having J. A. McClelland and David L. Haas as 
sureties. 

Your father remarried, and some time after-waids went to 
live to Calistoga, this county, where he now is.. 

Your mother, we are unable to learn anything about. Is she 
dead or alive, and where is she? We believe she went to hresno 
on the ranch she received, but can not ascertain this as a fact, 
but perhaps you can enlighten us. If she is dead, when did she 

die? 1 . 1M1 , . 

Of course there was nothing given the children, and the 

children were entitled to nohing until either your father or mother 
died, in which event, each child would under our law be compelled 
to receive its share, or something from the parent. 

The property that was owned here, has all been sold, long 
ago, and unless the records of this county would reveal some¬ 
thing, we will say now that we believe your parents own nothing 
in this county. 

If you can advise us as to your mother’s whereabouts, we can 
easily put some one on the track of her, and endeavor to pump 
her for information. 

Awaiting yours, 

We remain very respectfully, 

Webber & Rutherford 


No. 16. 

Webber & Rutherford. 

Attorney s-At-Law 
Napa, California. 

February 21st. 1900. 

Mrs. James W. King, 

Snake River Avenue, 

Lewiston, Idaho. 

Dear Madam:—We received your letter of the 17th. inst. a few 
days ago, and since writing you last we have made further re¬ 
search "into the matter. After such research, we are unable to 
find any property to which you are entitled. Under the divorce 
proceedings the property was divided between your father and 
mother, and of course under the law, as it then existed and now 
exist, each was at liberty to do. with it as he or she saw fit. The 
court did not decree any of this property to the children, but to 
the respective parties, husband and wife. 

If either of your parents were dead, and left a will or died 
without a will we could then be in a position to get your share of 
either parents property. 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


297 


\\ c will advise you to not make your presence known to 
either of your parents, for the reason that if they believed you 
were in existence, and they have any property, they could each 
make a will and cut you of with a dollar, on the other hand if 
they believe you are not in existence, they may make a will and 
not mention you at all, in which event under our law, the will is 
entii el} a oid, and you would share equally. If either die without 
will, of course you will take with the rest. 

We will keep this matter before us, and if any thing turns up 
will immediately let you know. 

Yours truly, 

Webber & Rutherford 


No. 17. 


Wallace T. Rutherford. E. L. Webber. 

WEBBER & RUTHERFORD 
Attorneys-At-Law, 

Winship Block, - Rooms 1 and 2. 

NAPA, CALIFORNIA. 

March 30th. 1900. 

Mrs. J. W. King, 

Lewiston, Idaho. 

Dear Mrs. King:—Yours of the 25th. inst. to hand and contents 
noted, and replying we will say that we have written to Missouri 
to ascertain what facts we could. We have received reply, say¬ 
ing that a son of one Charles A. Manuel has been found, Clias. 
A. being a brother to your father, and we are now attempting 
to trace your parentage, as we fell confident that David Manuel 
or his former wife, are not your parents, taking into consideration 
all the circumstances, and we are prone to believe that the Mis¬ 
souri property was your own; this of course is hard to ascertain, 
but in time will dig it out. 

Your father who is in Calistoga, refuses to communicate with 
us at all, or have anything to say, and is much worried. 

I wrote to Short in Fresno, and he too refused to answer, 
but we are now tracing the family in Gresno. 

Will write you further. 

Yours respectfully, 

Webber & Rutherford 

No. 18, is a copy of the wording and spelling of an account 
in a newspaper, as it came from the Postoffice, U. S. M., of 
Lewiston, Nez Perce County, State of Idaho: 


298 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 

No. 18. 

“THE LATE G. W. MANUEL. 


Particulars of His Death—Sketch of His Life. 


(Oakland Enquirer, April 19.) 

George W. Manuel, the capitalist and father of ex-Council- 
man Waiter G. Manuel, and Mrs. L. S. Burchard, died suddenly 
earlv this morning at the family residence, 678 Fourteenth street, 
of hemorrtage of the stomach. He was taken ill only last even¬ 
ing at 7 o’clock and took to bed at once suffering with the hemorr¬ 
hage which finally rendered him unconscious. He remained in 
this condition until death ensued, about 5 o clock this morning. 

The funeral will probably take place on Saturday from the 
family residence, interment being in Mountain View cemetery. 

Mr. Manuel was only 63 years old. He was born at North 
Troy, Orleans County, Vermont, where his family had resided 
for several generations, one of his ancestors having taken a 
prominent part in the war of the Revolution. Upon the death of 
Mr. Manuel’s mother in his eleventh year, the homestead was 
sold, the family moving to New Orleans. Later Mr. Manuel 
engaged in contracting work and for three years helped build 
the famous Erie canal. Finally he removed to Aurora, Illinois, 
where he married Miss Lucy Griswold, his first wife, who died 
here in Oakland in 1890. 

It was in 1857 that Mr. Manuel came to California. He 
settled in Napa City and was one of the most prominent men of 
that county during his long residence there. His business was 
the sale of agricultural implements and he controlled several 
valuable patents on gang ploughs, some of the machines he sold 
thirty years ago being still in use in the valley. 

In 1874, together with his wife, and two children, Mr. Man¬ 
uel removed to this city, at that time being possessed of enough 
of the world’s goods to warrant his retiring from active business. 
It was then that the family home on Fourteenth and Castro streets 
was built. For three years he was associated with his son in the 
commission business, but in 1888 the latter obtained entire con¬ 
trol, having bought his father out. In the same year Mr. Manuel 
and'his wife went abroad for twelve months, enjoying travel in 
England and the continent. Two years later Mrs. Manuel died 
and in 1891 Mr. Manuel married his first wife’s niece, Miss 
Jennie Griswold, who survives him. The issue of this marriage 
was one child, a daughter, named Helen, 5 years of age. 

While in Napa Mr. Manuel took a great interest in the 
affairs of the Odd Fellows, being at the head of the local organi¬ 
zation and taking an active part in securing the erection of a 




LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


299 


lodge building. Since his residence in Oakland he has neglected 
his affiliations with that Order. However, he joined the Masons 
and was a member of Oakland Lodge. His Masonic affiliations 
were confined to his Blue Lodge membership. 

In politics Mr. Manuel was always a Republican, though he 
never held any public office. Years ago when in Napa he was 
one of the leading members of the Unitarian church and during 
the pastorate of Dr. Wendte was one of the trustees of the local 
Unitarian church, tie died possessed of property worth between 
$100,000 and $150,000, which consists largely of realty situated 
here, in Napa and San Joaquin counties. 

No. 19 is a copy of the wording and spelling of my last com¬ 
munication from Webber & Rutherford, Attorneys-At-Law, as it 
came from the Postoffice, U. S. M., of Lewiston, Nez Perce 
County, State of Idaho: 

No. 19. 

Webber & Rutherford. 

Mrs. J. W. King, July 8th, 1900. 

Snake River Avenue, Idaho. 

Dear Madam:—We have received all of your letters, but have 
been unable so far to ascertain anything that will give us a .foot¬ 
ing to institute proceedings on your behalf. 

The only thing that we can bring suit on for you, is to find 
property in which you have or it could be claimed you have an 
interest, and we have devoted all our efforts in this matter, to 
arriving at that point but have been unable to do so. 

We can not ascertain anything definate from Missouri, but 
we shall keep examining into the matter, and should we be able 
to learn anything sufficient to enable us to bring action for you, 
we shall advise yau, but you can go wherever you desire, as 
there is nothing in the matter so far to prevent you from going, 
only keep us advised as to your whereabouts. 

Yours respectfully, 

Webber & Rutherford 

An Attorney-At-Law, of Lewiston, Nez Perce County, State 
of Idaho, procured for us, a sworn statement of some of the 
Divorce Proceedings, of the alleged David Manuel (who was one 
of the four said Manuel brothers of Napa), and his wife Laura 
C., who were the same couple who taught me to address them as 
Laura and Dave, after I had missed My Mother and others, and 
found myself with them at the old house, by the Napa river. 
Who were the same Dave and Laura, the said parents of George 
S. Manuel; who were my said parents, and the parents of Louis 
and Augustus Manuel; who all three boys were my said brothers, 


300 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


and I their only said sister, represented by the name of Kleanoi. 
No. 20, is a copy of the wording and spelling of the same 
sworn statement, which I quote here as evidence: 

No. 20. 

IN THE DISTRICT COURT, 7TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT 
IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF NAPA STATE 

OF CALIFORNIA. 

LAURA C. MANUEL, 

Pltff. 

VS. 

DAVID MANUEL, 

Deft. 

Now comes the above named plaintiff and complains of the 
above named defendant and for cause of action alleges and 
shows unto this Hon. Court as follows, towit: 

That the plaintiff is now and for more than six months last 
past has been a resident of the County of Napa, and State of 
California. 

That the plaintiff and defendant were on or about the 17th 
day of March A. D. 1852, in the State of Illnois, lawfully married, 
and that plaintiff and defendant thereafter lived and cohabitated 

together as husband and wife. 

That the fruits of said marriage and cohabitation between 
plaintiff and defendant are four children, towit: George aged 
fourteen years; Eleanor aged ten years; Lewis aged three years, 
and Augustus aged two years; all of whom are now living. 

That during all the time the plaintiff and defendant so lived 
and cohabited ' together plaintiff faithfully discharged all her 
martial duties and obligations towards defendant, as a good and 
dutiful wife and at all times treated said defendant with kindness 
and forbearance. 

Plaintiff further alleges on her information and belief, and 
so charges the fact to be, that the said defendant wholly dis¬ 
regarding his marriage vows and obligarions, did, at Napa City 
in the County of Napa and State aforesaid, at divers times 
between the 20th day of Nevember 1868 and the first day of 
April A. D. 1869, have adulterous intercourse with, and did 
commit adultery with one Mrs . Ellsworth, whose Christ¬ 

ian name is to the plaintiff unknown, that said acts of adultery 

were committed by the defendant with said Mrs . Ellsworth 

at Napa City in said County at divers times, to wit: on or 
about the 22nd and 29th days of November, 1868, on the 28th 
day of February, 1869 and on or about the 31st day of March 1869. 

That said acts of adultery were committed by the defendant 
without the consent or procurement of the plaintiff, and that 
said several acts of adultery were committed without an consent, 





LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


301 


agreement or understanding, thereto had beetween plaintiff and 
defendant, and that plaintiff has not lived or cohabited with the 
defendant since the discovery of said adulterous intercourse of 

deft with said .Ellsworth. 

That the defendant is on account of his violent temper, vulgar 
language and immoral conduct an unfit and improper person to 
have the care custody or control of said infant children; that 
plaintiff is competent and qualified to maintain and support 
said children. 

Wherefore plaintiff prays for a judgment and decree of 
this Court dissolving the bonds of matrimony existing between 
this plaintiff and the defendant, that plaintiff may have the 
care custody and control of said children, and that she may have 
such other further and additional relief in the premises, as to the 
Court may seem equitable and just, and for cost of suit. 

T. J. Tucker and R. Crouch 
Attys for Pltff. 

COUNTY OF NAPA, ss. 

Laura C. Manuel being duly sworn deposes and says that she 
is the plaintiff above named that she has heard the foregoing 
complaint read and knows the contents thereof, that the same is 
true of her own knowledge, except as to matters therein stated 
on her information and belief and that as to those matters she 
believes it to be true. Laura C. Manuel. 

Sworn to before me May 25, 1869. 

Rob. Crouch 

County Judge. 

(Endorsed) Filed May 26th, 1869. 

C. B. Seeley, Clerk, 

STATE OF CALIFORNIA, 1 
COUNTY OF NAPA. f ss 

I, N. W. COLLINS, County Clerk in and for the Count}/ 
of Napa, State of California, and ex-officio Clerk of the Superior 
Court in and for said County, do hereby certify the foregoing, to 
be a full, true and correct copy of the “Complaint” in the action 

of Laura C. Manuel vs. David Manuel. : . ; . 

as the same appears of record in my office, 
with the original of which said copy has 
been compared by me and is a correct tran- 
COURT script therefrom. 

SEAL. In Witness Whereof I have hereunto set 

my hand and affixed the Seal of said Court, 

at my office in the City of Napa, this . 

26th day of September A. D. 1901. 

N. W. Collins, County Clerk, 
and exofficio Clerk of Superior Court 
By H. L. Gunn, Deputy Clerk. 





302 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


No. 21, is the wording and spelling of a communication 
from John C. Leopard, Prosecuting Attorney of Gallatin, Daviess 
County, State of Missouri, as it came from the Postoffice, U. S. 
M., of Lewiston, Nez Perce County, State of Idaho, which I 
quote here as evidence: 


No. 21. 

JOHN C. LEOPARD, 

Prosecuting Attorney Daviess Co., 

Office Court House Block 

Gallatin, Mo, July 23rd. 1900. 

Mrs. James W. King. 

Lewiston, Idaho. 

Dear Madam; Yours of the 17th instant re¬ 
ceived, and in reply will say that I have looked up the records 

relative to the lands you describe in your letter and find the fol¬ 

lowing: 

The S. E. J4 Section 11 was purchased from the State of Mis¬ 
souri by one David A. Manuel February 18th 1857. On the 25th 
day of January 1875 David A. Manuel and Charlotte S. his wife 
deeded it to R. M. Barnett. 

The N. x /2 of the N. E. J4 of section 14 and the W. J4 of the 

N. W. J4 of Section 13 was pre-empted by David A. Manuel. 

Both of these tracts were sold to David. Schaffer. One was sold 
in 1868 and the other in 1869. these deeds were signed by 
David A. Manuel and Laura C., his wife. He doubtless was 
married twice. These last two tracts are now in possession of 
S. C. Shaffer and I think he is a son of David. Shaffer. The 
first of these tracts is still in the possession of the Barnetts. 
I do not know through whom you claim. But if you will write 
me the full particulars I will give it prompt attention. Very often 
a title appears all right on the face of the record but not good 
when the history of the title is brought out. Please let me hear 
from you and if there is no way to get at it for you it will cost 
you nothing. 

Hoping to hear from you soon I remain, 

Yours Truly. 

John C. Leopard 

No/s 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, are copies of the wording 
and spelling of letters as they came to us from the Postoffice, 
U. S. M., of Lewiston, Nez Perce County, Idaho: 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


303 


Mrs. James W. King, 
Lewiston, Idaho. 


No. 22. 

J. D. COLLINS 
SHERIFF 

OF FRFS’NO COUNTY 
Fresno, Cal. July 26th 1900 


Dear Madam: 


Your letter of July 20th 
1900 received to day— I refered Same to Mr. Jarvis Streeter— 
of Fresno County Abstract Company, who informed me that the 
S. W. l //\ of Sec. 24, Twsp. 13 S. R. 22 Fast was pattented to 
John Martin before the year 1870— John Martin deeded the 
above land to David A. Manuel— David A. Manuel deeded Same 
to Joseph S. Elliott; and the said land now Stands on the records 
in the name of a man named Michel, “Deceased.” Mr. Streeter 
found no record of and deed made to Mrs. Laura Manuel—The 
Cost of and Abstract Mr Streeter informs me will be forty to 
fifty dollars—The Dist Attorney is O. L. Everts and the County 
Clerk is Geo. W. Cartwright— 

Yours Truly 

J. D. Collins Sheriff 
Per Nelson. U. S. 


No. 23. 

EVERTS & EWING 

Attornneys-at-Law Fresno, Cal., Aug. 8, 1900. 

Mrs. J. W. King, 

Lewiston, Idaho. 

Dear madam:— 

Your letter of July 31st, addressed to our Mr. Everts, came 
duly yo hand this morning, and owing to the fact that Mr. Everts 
is away on his vacation I took the letter from the officemyself 
and receipted for it myself, which receipt you will get. Mr. 
Everts is the presiding District Attorney of this County, but still 
we have not dissolved partnership, and from the fact that he is 
busy with his own duties matters of this kind would fall into my 

hands anyway. 

I have read with considerable interest your letter and the 
copy received from the Attorneys in Napa City which you have 
had employed, and find therefrom that you are interested, from 
what you say,’in lands in the State of Missouri. If you have any 
further definite information in regard to this property, please 
send it to us, and nore particularly give us the name of the town 
or the County from which your people came in the State of Mis¬ 
souri. 



304 LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 

While we do not know Mr. Henry S. Colburn in person we 
know where he lives, at 1459 L Street in this City. We also 
knew Mr. Geo. Manuel, a Civil Engineer of this County who 
died a year or so ago. We also knew Mr. Louis and Mr. Gus 
Manuel, personally, and we knew by sight the daughter who is 
married to a man by the name of Anderson in this City.. We 
do not know by sight the mother of these boys, and the wife of 
Colburn, your supposed mother, but we are satisfied we can give 
you the news you desire if you have any interest whatever in the 
property that they own, provided we have the proper evidence 
on which to work. 

We personally knew Mr. S. A. Miller, editor of the Republi¬ 
can, and both of us resided here at the time you were m his em¬ 
ployment. We also know Mr. J. W. Short, the present Post- 
Master in this City who was at that time editor of the Republi¬ 
can, and who afterwards became one of the proprietors thereof. 

We can of course look up the Court Records and find the 
nature of the case you brought and to which you refer, but as 
the Records are now voluminous we would like to have some de¬ 
finite idea in regard to the time at which this suit was brought; 
also we would like to have such information as you have at your 
command as to whom you think your parents were, their names, 
your name, your age, the supposed place of your birth and in¬ 
formation of this nature. 

We seldom ever take matters of this kind, as indefinite as this 
is, and after receiving your next letter we will give you an exact 
statement of what your chances are in regard to the matter. 

Of course you understated that it will be absolutely neces¬ 
sary for you to prove definitely to whatever Court the case comes 
before facts which are necessary to establish your claim to this 
property; also give us the names of people who knew you when 
you were here, and the parties who know of the treatment that 
you received at the hands of your supposed parents. 

Hoping that for the present this is satisfactory, 

Yours truly, 

Everts & Ewing 

Dictated. By 

D. S. Ewing 

No. 24. 

Lewiston, Idaho, 1—7—1901 
To the Hon. Superior Judge of Aurora, Illinois 

Dear Sir: 

Wishing to gain a little information which is an important 
matter to me, and being particular to gain facts, having reasons 
to believe there has been fraud practiced upon me, and as there 
is a probability this matter may be brought into Court I make an 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


305 


appeal to you to do me a very great favor and to see to it that the 
County Clerk of your County give me the true statements of ques¬ 
tions which are as follows; 

I wish to know the names of the two gentlemen who married 
Miss Laura C Griswold and Lucy Griswold, two sisters, who I 
have been told, were married in your City between the years 1848 
and 1856. As they have or did have relatives living in your re¬ 
spective City, you will greatly oblige me if you keep' them 
ignorant of my inquiry. For you will be showing kindness to one 
who has been wronged, 

And Greatly Oblige, 

Yours Very Respectfully, 
Mrs. J. W. King, 

Snake River Ave. Lewiston, Idaho. 


Answer of the Hon. Superior Judge, of Aurora, 
Kane County, Illinois. 


At request of Judge South worth I have examined the 
Marriage Register of this County, and fail to find anything of 
the marriage of the Ladies inquired of, 


St Charles, Illinois, 
January 17, 1901. 


Yours, 

Clias. A. Miller. 


No. 25. 

Du Page County, Ill. John H. Batten, 

H. F. Lawrense, Clerk. County Judge. 

Wheaton, Feb, 2, 1901. 

Mrs. J. W. King, 

Lewiston, Idaho. 

Dear Madam:— 

In reply to your inquiry of the 27th ult. will say Upon 
examination of *Rie Marriage Records in my office I find only 
two licenses issued between the years 1845 and 1860 where the 

name of the bride elect is Griswald. 

On November 30th 1847, Mary Griswald was married to 
one Vincent H. Freeman, and on June 15th, 1853 Sy lv ia M. Gris¬ 
wald was married to one Gerome B. Woodworth. 

Trusting this to be the information you desire, I am yours 

truly. 


FI. F. Lawrence 


306 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


No. 26. 


Woodstock, Ill., Feb. 4, 1901 


Mrs J W King 

Lewiston Idaho 


Dear Madam 

In reply to yours 

Alice 
Harriett 
Maria A 
Marietta 


of the 27th I find as follows 

Griswold Married to Horace Burton 
M ay 20—1843 

“ married to Hosie Ballou 
Dec. 25—1845 

“ married to John T Skeel 
Oct 29—1849 

“ married to Leonard Cary 
Mch 29—1850 


Synthia 

Laura 

Don’t know any 


“ married to John W Smith 
Sept 14—1857 

“ married to David Manuel 
Mch 17, 1852 
of these parties. 

Yours Truly 
G. F. Rushton 


No. 27. 


County Court of Kendall County 
H. S. Hudson, Judge. 

William Hill, Clerk. 

Yorkvill, Ill. Feb. 6—01 

Dear Madam; 

Do not find either of the names you mention on our marriage 
record. 

I find that Emeline Griswold married John Reese in 1849. We 
have a family of Griswolds living at Plano in this County. 

The name is Flilni Griswold, and he had a brother named James 


Griswold, 
now deceased. 

Most Respectfully Yours, 

Wm Hill 

Co Cek 


No. 28. 

James W. King Esq Stockton Feb 7 1901 

Lewiston. Idaho. 

Dear Sir. Yours of the 3rd Just received asking for infor¬ 
mation about myself and family. I will answer your questions 
to the best of my ability 

I was born in Chacewater, Cornwall, England my age is 
45 May 16 next, left Cornwall with my mother for California in 




LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


307 


1870 and resided at Douglas Flat & Murphys Camp in Calaveras 
Co. Cal, almost continuously until 1889, and have resided in 
Stockton all the time since the above date. 

Family Names William Manuel. Father. Mary Ann Manuel 
Mother. Eligah Manuel 1st son William Manuel 2nd John Man¬ 
uel 3rd Mathew Manuel 4th Joseph Manuel 5th Mary Ann Manuel 
6th Baby girl Died 7th Thomas Henry Manuel 8th My Father 
came to California 1856 and went back home to Cornwall 1859 
and died there in 1865. Eligah Manuel left home for New- 
Zeland or Australia in 1857. and we have not heard from him 
since. William & John left home either later part of 1859, or 
early part 1860, and stopped for about a year on Lake Superior 
Michigan, and then came on to California and resided in Cala¬ 
veras Co. William stopped here for a short time and then left 
for Frazier River, British Columbia, received one or two letters 
from him after he went there. But have not heard fiom him in 
any shape since 1865. Jotn Manuel died 1898 leaving Family. 
Mathew Manuel came to California in 1861 and was drowned in 
a mine near Murphys shortly after he came. Joseph Manuel came 
to California in 1864 or 1865. he is living a few miles from this 
town has a wife but no children. Mary Ann Manuel Daughter 
Died in Cornwall 1866. Mother Died April of last year. Eligah 
was single when he left home but do not know any thing about 
him after he left no pictures of him m existance that 1 know oi. 
William w r as single when he left for Frazier River and of course 
we know nothing of him. after that. I think that Mother had a 
picture of him that was taken soon after he came to this country 
in her possession but whether it is amongst her efects or not 
I could not say but if necessary I can look it up I have answered 
everything to the best of my ability of course all my brothers left 
home except one before I was old enough to remember them. 

Whether I am the right or wrong party I hope you will 

oblige me by sending a few lines to notify me 

Yours truly 

T. H. Manuel 
414. E. Main St 

Stockton, Cal. 

We wrote letters from the State of Idaho, to find out whether 
my eldest said brother George S. Manuel and my said motiei 
Laura C. Colburn, were yet alive, that were not addresse o 
any of my said relatives; from which No. 29, is a copy of the 
wording and spelling of a letter as it came from the Postoffice, 
U. S. M., of Lewiston, Nez Perce County, State of Idaho, con¬ 
taining a’newspaper clipping, of the death and funeral of Lizzie, 

the wife of George S. Manuel. 


308 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


No. 29. 

Turlock Stanislaus Co 

California Feb 17. 1901 

Dear Nellie 

I received your letter this morning and hasten to reply. I 
was very glad to hear from you. I had about given up hearing 
from you having had my letters returned from your former ad¬ 
dress. I suppose possibly you are something like myself chang¬ 
ing from place to place. 

I have been here for quite a while putting in a system of 
irrigation works. I am about done however and will probably 
go to some new place in the near future. I shall leave one of 
my deputies here however who will forward my letters wliere- 
ever I am. I also make my headquarters while in San Fran¬ 
cisco at No 22 California St. You had best address your letters to 
this latter place for the present. 

Daisy is married and has one child a pretty little girl about 
7 months old. Her husband is Car inspecter on the Santa Fe, 
Rail Road at Fresno. Her address is Mrs Walter Mitchell 2229 
Merced St Fresno Cal It may be well for you to save this ad¬ 
dress. You can write to her if you should again lose my address 
as I shall keep in communication with her. She will be pleased 
to hear from you anyhow. 

Lizzie is free from all earthly trouble. She was burned to 
death by the exploson of a kerosene lamp in Sept. 1899. She 
lived only a few hours after the accident. I was here at the time 
and did get the word in time to see her before she died. She 
had just rented out our property and was preparing to join me 
here when she met her death. She could have saved her¬ 
self if she had not staid and tried to save some others in the 
house: they escaped but she did not. I am happy in the thought 
that she died a Christian, and I hope to meet her sometime. The 
same fire destroyed the house, books, &c. So you see I am 
somewhat broken up. I enclose you an account of her funeral. 
She had one of of the largest in Fresno. Hoping to hear from 
you soon I remain 

your brother Geo Manuel 

LAID TO REST. 

Funeral Services Over Mrs. Manuel. 


The funeral services over Mrs. Elizabeth Manuel were held 
yesterday afternoon at 2 o’clock at the Adventist Church. The 
altar was beautifully decorated with flowers. The principal piece 
represented “A gate Ajar.” It was made of maiden hair fern, 
white roses and other flowers and at the bottom was the name 




LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


309 


“Lizzie,” formed of buds. Other floral tributes were an anchor 
and a harp of heliotrope, tube roses and carnations. 

As the funeral procession entered the church the choir sang 
softly “Resting Sweetly.” The procession was led by Elders 
Thorne and Knox followed by ten little flower bearers, the 
Sabbath school class of Mrs. Manuel while living. These were 
followed by the pallbearers, J. O. Carlsen, Henry Stand, Louis 
Chester, L. Sharps, Dr. Hare and G. Hendrich. Following the 
coffin were the relatives and the immediate friends of the dead 
lady. 

Elder Knox of Oakland, and old friend of Mrs. Manuel, 
opened the services with a passage from the Scripture. Elder 
Thorne of Fresno, Mrs. Manuel’s pastor, followed with prayer. 
The choir then sang “The Gates Ajar for me.” 

Elder Knox preached the funeral sermon. Fie spoke of the 
sincere Christian life of the departed, her work in the church and 
the earnest fulfillment of her duty to her family and neighbors. 
Miss Smith sang a solo, “Farewell,” while the many friends who 
filled the church took their last look at the dead. 

A great number of people followed the hearse to the ceme¬ 
tery. Here Elder Knox spoke some closing words and the little 
Sabbath school children, Leona and Leota Wotton, Eva Kellogg, 
Flora Beeson, Julia Jacobson, Flazel Ingels, Jessie Hoxie, Earl 
Hearkness, Lloyd Harkness and Elmer Church, cast into the 
grave the flowers they were carrying. 

No. 30, is the wording and spelling of a letter in more than 
part, as it came from the Postoffice, U. S'. M., of Lewiston, Nez 
Perce County, State of Idaho: 


No. 30. 


Monterey, Cal. Feb 19 1901 

Mr. James W. King 
Lewiston Idaho 
Dear Sir 

Yours of the 12th inst duly received Contents noted 
in answer to it would state to you that Four of my Brothers 
came to California in early days Am the fifth one the youngest 
I came to California the year of 1872. One of my brothers had 
died then I think the year of 1869 or 1870 about Sept or October, 
as near I could learn of his death Supposed to be accidently 
drowned in Sacramento River while employed on a steamer or 
boat his age at the time was about 22 years Single man his 
name Edward Manuel Native of France. 

Yours Truly 


A. A. Manuel 


310 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


No.’s 31, 32, 33, are the wordings and spellings of letters as 
they came from the Postoffice, U. S. M., of Lewiston, Nez Perce 
County, State of Idaho: 

No. 31. 

County Court of Kendall County 
H. S'. Hudson, Judge. 

William Hill, Clerk. 

Yorkville, Ill., Feb. 19—01 

Mrs J. D. King, 

Lewiston, Idaho. 

Dear Madam: In reply to your letter of the 12th, will 
say that Elihu Griswold has one son by the name of John. 

fames Griswold has six children,—Celestia, Plorace, Julia, 
William Eliza, and Jennie. 

I do not think they ever lived at Aurora as they have owned 
their farms near Plano for nearly fifty years. 

Most Respectfully Yours, 

(No name was signed). 


No. 32. 


San Francisco Cal. 

Mr. Jas. W. W. King 

Yours of 12 inst at hand, In reply I was born in California. My 
Father in Vermont, of French, English German decent. I had 
several Chicles on my Fathers side who left home earley and 
came west, some of whom we have not heard from for 30 or 40 
years. I can give you the names of them if you think we are the 
family you are looking for. Kindly let me know, your object in 
seeking this information. 

Resp. Yours 

Flarvey S. Manuel 

417 Folsome St 

Feb 20 1901 S. F. 


No. 33. 

Du Page County, Ill. John H. Batten. 

H. F. Lawrence, Clerk. County Judge 

Wheaton, Feb. 28, 1901 
Mrs.. James W. King, 

Lewiston, Idaho. 

Dear Madam:— 

In reply to yours of the 10th inst, which for some unknown 
reason was delayed in reaching its destination, will say: Will 
further answer some of your questions as follows: 

I find that Mary Griswald was married to Vincent H. Free¬ 
man Nov. 30, 1847 by Rev. Joel Wheeler, and the County Clerk’s 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


311 


name that issued the license was H. H. Cody, who is still alive 
and has a residence somewhere in the City of Chicago; but 
where, I do not know. 

Sylvia M. Griswold to James B. Woodworth, June 15th 1853, 
by Rev. John Young, and the clerk who issued the license was 
Myron C. Dudley, who is dead. 

Now regarding the other information that you desire, I 
would not have time to make the investigation, were I so inclined. 
In fact, I know nothing of the parties nor their whereabouts, and 
if you have that knowledge, my suggestion would be that you cor¬ 
respond with someone in the vicinity in which they reside. 

Yours truly, 

H. F. Lawrence 


No. 34, is the wording and spelling of an important letter 
as it came from the Postoffice, U. S. M., of Lewiston, Nez Perce 
County, State of Idaho: 


No. 34. 


Mi- 


ICing 


North Troy Vt March 8th 1901 


I, received your letter this day and will say that one David 
Manuel Lived in this Town some sixty years ago His 
Family consisted of Six Boys their names are as Follows 


Manuel 


u 


(< 


u 


a 


u 


Died Troy Vt 
died in Mass 
Died in N H 


Gardener 
Chandler 
Wilder 
Roswell 
Willard 
David 
all born in Troy Vt. 

Gardner Manuel Died here 

Chandler Manuel left this Town, and went West about 1844. 

had three boys Names as follows 

Chandler Manuel Jr 
David 


he 


a 


I do not know the third boys name. 

Wilder Manuel, hade Several Boys when he left here for Mich 
his sons were named William Manuel 

Roswell 

Henry 

Samuel 

Gardner Manuel, has one Son living in Richford Vt his Name is 
Chas. C. Manuel 

Roswell Manuel now Dead, has one Son living in Newport 
Vt by the name of Lorenzo Manuel. 



312 LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 

Should you have occasion to write me again Direct to Chandler 
Bailey No. Troy Vt I hope this may furnish you with the in¬ 
formation you wanted 

Yours Truly 

Chandler Bailey 

To. James W King- 

No. 35, is a valuable letter, that came from the Postoffice, 
U. S. M., of Lewiston, Nez Perce County, State of Idaho, which 
I quote in more than part: 

No. 35. 

C. C. MANUEL & SONS, 

Manufacturers of 

Butter Dishes, Wood Pie Plates, 

Swell Drawer Fronts and Veneers. 

Richford, Vt, 3/27” 1901. 

Mrs James W. King 
Lewiston, 

Nezperce County, 

Idaho, 

Dear Madam:— 

I am in receipt of your letter of Mch. 16,” asking 
for information about my relative, Chandler Manuel. 

I am not able to give you the specific information which 
you ask as I have no family records or genealogy to which I 
can refer. 

I was born in ’37 so was a small boy when Uncle Chandler 
left Troy but I well remember the cause of his leaving, as it was 
an extraordinary one and made a lasting impression on my mind. 

As I remember Chandler, he was a man of medium height, 
one arm gone (I think the left arm was gone) he was a very keen 
and smart man. Pie had three boys that I remember, Leonard, 
David, and Chandler Jr. and three girls Susan, Eliza, and Levisa. 

They were a nice family up to the time that Aunt Betsy 
the mother died, which might have been a year or two before 
they left Troy. 

After her death the family went to pieces. 

A few years later, the three girls of the family came to our 
home and reported that they had heard from the father and 
brothers in the West and that the father was dead, and that is 
the only information that I have ever received since their de¬ 
parture. Susan and Eliza are both dead and Levisa went to 
Chicago and I have no knowledge as to whether living or dead. 

Chandler had six brothers all of which are dead; Wilder who 
went to Michigan, Rozel father of Lorenzo of Newport, Vt, Wil¬ 
lard, John, and Gardner my father, and David, the youngest who 
died in Boston about one year ago. 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


313 


There is a Rozel who lived in Kansas and was a son of 
Wilder and therefore a cousin of Lorenzo of Newport. 

I know of all of the families belonging to these seven 
brothers with the exception of Wilder and Chandler. 

As to our Nationality, I remember of hearing my father say 
that he was of Welch decent but our name leads me to think 
that we must have sprung from the Spanish. 

I have but one brother living, Ira F. Manuel of Toronto, 
Kansas, who is several years older than I and who might give a 
more detailed account of the family than I am able to do. 

I am not a visionary or sensational man, but your letter has 
sufficiently aroused my curiosity so that I should be pleased to 
learn from you more of the particulars as to the object of your 
search. 

Very respectfully, 

C. C. Manuel, 

Per B. 


No. 36. 

Apr. 3 1901. 

Newport Vt Orleans County 
Mrs James W King 
Dear Madam 

I will reply to your letter although I don't know as I can give 
you any information regarding Uncle Chandler Manuel as he 
emigrated west before I was born. I have often heard Chandler 
Jr & David spoken my relatives older but know nothing of their 
where abouts. I have been informed by Cousin Charles that he 
had written you what he knew about them, and that he had 
referred you to his older brother in the west. If I can posibly 
learn any thing in regard to them I will inform you. 

Respectfully 

Lorenzo Manuel 

No.’s 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, are copies of the wordings and 
spellings of letters as they came from the Postoffice, U. S. M., 
of Lewiston, Nez Perce County, State of Idaho. They contain 
some acknowledgments to my story, and are therefore evidence. 
There are signs of the gang in them, and are all, is my opinion, 
forgeries to our letters. Like the gang, they are contradictory, 
and cannot carry out a stright story; are deceptive and baffling. 
I think some, if not all of them, were written in Lewiston, State 
of Idaho. Being a printer myself, I know that this could be done, 
if some one or more of the Postoffice would pass over the letters; 
although I do not accuse them here. 


314 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


No. 37 

City of Aurora, Illinois 
Department of Police 
City Hall 

Aurora March 13 1901 

Mrs James W King 

Lewiston Idaho 
Dear Madam 

I received your letter a few 
days ago, I would be pleased & will do all I can to help you in 
this matter. 

you will see by this letter that I did not receive your letter 
until a few days ago. I will take up the matter at once and let 
you know from time to time what I find out 

I remain 

Yours Respectfully 
Frank Michels 

Chief of Police 

P S your letter did not have any Postage Stamp & Postmaster 
at Lewiston sent me notice of letter at your place for me 

No. 38. 

City of Aurora. Illinoise 
Department of Police. 

City Hall. 

James W. King April—30—1901 

Lewiston, Idaho. 

Dear Sir; Yours of the 20th inst at hand and after due in¬ 
vestigation I find as follows; that we are unable to tell what 
family Mary or Sylvia came from, nor can we find out who 
Vincent Freeman or Gerome B. Woodworth are or when, or who 
they emigrated with. We find that one Amos Griswold a relative 
in some way left Algonquine McHenry Co. about 1852, and went 
to California. 

With reference to Laura Griswold we find as stated in your 
letter that she married David Manuel. We also find that one 
George Manuel brother of David married Lucy Griswold sister 
of Laura, these marriages occured about two years apart. The 
first couple married having emigrated to California and returned 
when the second took place we are unable to ascertain which 
couple was married first. The last heard of David and Laura 
Manuel, they were located at Napa, Cal. George and Lucy Manuel 
are located at Oakland, Cal and are reputed to be very wealthy. 

Regarding Amos, Riley, Isaac, Leander Griswolds and sisters 
Maria, Maranda, Ella, I will state as follows; Amos is dead, 
Riley is in Michigan, Isaac is in California, Leander’s where- 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


315 


abouts are unknown, Maria or Mrs Thompson lives in our city 
and has a son named Germaine S. and a daughter named Mrs 
Emnet W. Smith, both of whom reside here Maranda is some 
where in Michigan, and Ella died at Springfield, Ill. 

Wheaton and Algonquin both being small places and being 
at a loss whom to address there confidentialy, and it as it would 
be a matter some expense to go there personally I hope the: in¬ 
formation so far given will be satisfactory 

Yours Very resp’y 

Erank Michels, 

Chief of Police. 

No. 39. 


C. C. MANUEL & SONS,, 

Manufacturers of 

Butter Dishes, Wood Pie Plates, 

Swell Drawer Fronts and Veneers. 

Richford, Vt., Aprd 13, 1901 

Mrs. James W. King. 

Lewiston, Nezperce County, Idaho. 

Dear Madam :— . 

I am today in receipt of your very interesting letter and 

from your statements, you certainly have endured much hardship. 

Whatever I may see fit to do in aiding in the apprehension 
of your persecutors, I assure you will be done, prompted by the 
spirit of justice rather than a greed for what money there may 
be back of it, for there may be but little financial return for t le 
expense that may have to be put into the prosecution although 
if your suspicions can be proven and justice obtained there ought 
to be something to off set for what outlay I may make 

I am a humble follower of our common Savior and I assure 
you that whatever confidence you wish to place in me will not 

^ b fudging from your statements, my opinion is that it will 
require very cautious and wise manipulating to dislodge criminals 
who have been so long unmolested, and especially so if they are 
benched with lawyers and officials. I do not think it would 
b” wise for me to go to you at once for there must be a well 
formed plan,backed up with all the evidence that it is possible 

t0 Yam writing to day to some of our family in Boston for the 
purpose of locating a Mr. Perkins who married your fathers 
lister Eliza. She is dead but he may have some knowledge that 
can be used. A reply to this inquiry will doubtless de\ elope some 

other source of information. ... r 

It will be best to spend some time in getting returns from 

different branches of the family, which I think I can do. 


316 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


In reference to pictures of your Father and Mother, at the 
time when they left Troy there was not such a thing known in 
the place, as photography, not even a daguerreotype. There 
may be pictures of later date that could he had if it is possible 
to locate them. - 

I judge from your letter, that you have lived in California 
and have since come to Idaho. 

I have a brother-in-law in San Jose, Cal. who is a Christian 
man who might possibly be used to advantage a little later. 

At what place in California are these people located, who 
are forfeiting the name of Manuel? If I am to aid you in 
ferreting out this crime it will be necessary that you give me all 
of the information that you can, not that \ want to get into my 
possession anything by which I can secure a portion of this 
property, for if the laws in the State of California are like those in 
most States, you will be the sole heir to the entire property pro¬ 
viding that it can be proven that you are the only child, and it 
will in no way effect the rest of the Manuel family. 

If there was any doubt as to your grand father, Chandlier, 
being my Uncle, it could be proven by refering to our County 
records, which will have records of the affair where my Father 
paid the bail. 

As, to the Manuel traits, your discription of yourself is cer¬ 
tainly convincing. I never knew a Manuel but what had more 
than the ordinary mechanical ability and could sing. 

Were you old enough to have any recollection of ever having 
seen your Father or Mother? 

You say that you are secretly watched all of the time. Will 
it not be unwise to have mail passing through your Post Office, 
addressed to a Manuel? If you should prefer, you can adress 
your communications to Lock Box No. 2, Richford, Vt., and they 
will reach me, or if it is desirous to send registered mail, I can 
give you another name to adress to. 

If there is anything to be done which will bring to justice 
such desperate characters, it will have to be done by as few as 
possible, that is it will not be wise to give your story to any 
one unnecessarily. 

I will advise you of whatever I may learn through the other 
branches of our family. 

As I remember your Father, he would if living, be a man 
from seventy to.seventy five years old. 

Very sincerely yours 

C. C. Manuel, 

By Frank. 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


317 


No. 40. 

C. C. Manuel & Sons, 

Manufacturers of 

Butter Dishes, Wood Pie Plates, 

Swell Drawer Fronts and Veneers. 

Richford, Vt., May 2, 1901. 

Mrs. James W. King, 

Snake River Avenue, 

Lewiston, Nezperce County, Idaho. 

Dear Mrs. King:— 

I herewith enclose letter from my attorney, giving his 
opinion of your case as it appears to him, after studying our 
correspondence, and which opinion was formed entirely indipend- 
ent of any suggestion from me, 

You will notice that by the records, uncle Chandler did not 
leave Troy until 1848, instead of 1844. This date is more in con¬ 
formity with my mind. 

Since receiving Mr. Young’s letter, my mind is refreshened 
by the fact that Leonard did return for an appearance in court, 
which relieved my Father of a portion of the bonds for which 
he was holden. These dates may be of value to you. 

I have not heard from our Boston relatives, but will inform 
you of any thing new which I may learn. 

Very sincerely, 

C. C. Manuel. 

By Frank 


No. 41. 

John Young, George B. Young 

YOUNG & YOUNG, 

Lawyers, 

Court House. „ 

Newport, Vt., May 1, 1901. 

C. C. Manuel Escp, 

Richford, Vt. 

Dear Sir * 

Chandler Manuel was indicated at the June Term, 1848, and 
the case was continued, from term to term until the June 4eim, 
1850, when the bonds were called and forfeited. At the December 
Term, 1850, a writ of scire facias in favor of the State Treasurer 
against Gardner Manuel declaring upon the bond given for the 
appearance of Chandler Manuel to answer to that indictment was 
entered and chancered down to $50.00, and a judgment for $50.00 
and costs entered against Gardner Manuel. Phis is all the recoids 
and dockets show in reference to this indictment against Chandlci 
Manuel. Every paper connected with the case has disappeared. 
A minute on the docket and also on the book of records, page 


318 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


208, says “States Attorney has files". There is nothing in the 
records, dockets or files by which we can determine the offense 
for which this indictment was returned. 

At the June Term, 1848, Leonard Manuel was indicted for 
perjury committed in a suit in .favor of Chandler Manuel against 
Franklin Corey, John P. Sartle and James A. Kendall. This 
case was continued from term to term until the June Term,1850, 
when Leonard was tried by jury and acquitted by a verdict of 
“Not Guilty”. This is shown by the record on page 207, and 
by the docket of the June Term,'1850, of Orleans County Court. 

I have been looking this matter over and thinking it over a 
considerable today. The whole matter is a curiosity to me. 
While this whole theory may be well founded, the murder com¬ 
mitted and the second murder proved, it hardly seems to me 
probable that Chandler Manuel and his boys or either of them 
after 1848, when Chandler was indicted, could have accumulated 
any such property as this correspondence seems to indicate. I 
can very well understand that if Mr. Manuel was possessed .of 
the amount of property suggested in the correspondence, the in¬ 
ducement might be sufficient for attempting to perpetrate the 
crime alleged. 

The correspondence assumes that Chandler went west about 
1844, but the indictment against Leonard shows that the suit in 
favor of Chandler, in which Leonard was charged with com¬ 
mitting perjury, was tried before Justice West in 1848. The 
annals of crime, however, show cases as peculiar and improbable 
as the one described in this correspondence. 

If you grant the inducement for the crime suggested in this 
correspondence, I can easily believe that the circumstances, in 
the main, alleged in the correspondence, and the murder might 
take place and might be concealed in the manner suggested. You 
will note that this correspondence assumes the crime to have 
occurred between 1860 and 1865. It is true that some large 
fortunes were made between 1850 and 1865 and investment in 
real estate, then of little or moderate value, may have advanced 
sufficiently to give the estate the value suggested. 

Does not this correspondence as a whole, suggest to your 
mind monomania or hallucination on the part of the writter? Of 
course, in the long time covered by this alleged conspiracy ample 
opportunity must have occurred to make away with the writer, 
if such intent was really in the minds of the perpetrators of the 
first murder claimed. 

Again, Would you naturally expect that the governor of 
California, on a simple letter from an unknown woman in Omaha, 
charging this crime, would order a proceeding instituted for the 
arrest and trial of the parties charged without a thorough in¬ 
vestigation on the part of the Government into the evidence now 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


319 


existing and the circumstances tending to establish the charge 
of murder? 

It is quite evident from the letters that Mrs. King is quite 
unsofisticated in the way or manner of doing business in the 
Courts, and bringing about the results which she seeks to attain. 

So far as a civil suit to recover this property is concerned, 
she must needs have money with which to carry on the litigation. 
If she has such evidence as she indicates in her letter, namely: 
evidence conclusive that the murder was committed by the 
parties referred to in her letter and now living, the State would 
immediately assume the initiative and the whole burden and ex- 
pense of bringing the guilty parties to punishment. Of course 
it might require some money to meet her expenses in laying this 
matter properly before the prosecuting officers in California 
where the murder is claimed to have occurred. 

As I said in the beginning, the correspondence is to me a 
curiosity. If I was a public prosecutor in the locality where the 
alleged offense was committed, if committed at all, I should 
certainly devote sufficient time to the matter to examine thor¬ 
oughly all the correspondence and matter which she has before 
I should be satisfied whether or not there was foundation to her 
charges. 

I return herewith the papers in this matter. 

Truly yours, 

John Young 

No/s 42 and 43, are the wordings and spellings of letters 
as they came to me at the Postoffice, U. S. M., of Lewiston, 
Nez Perce County, Idaho, which are answers from one I had 
known in school-girl days, in Napa City, Napa County, California; 
to whom I wrote for information, which I quote here as evi¬ 
dence to my true story. I thought that whatever my friend Mr. 
Henry C. Gerford would write me, would be true, and I believe 
it yet; though it does appear from his correspondence, like the 
case I was getting him into was too overwhelming, and he quit; 
nevertheless, he was good enough to furnish some of the informa¬ 
tion I desired, for which I openly express my thanks: 

No. 42. 

Phone Black 266 

LAW OFFICE, HENRY C. GESFORD, 

Napa, Cal. 

Dear Madam:— J an - IE 1602. 

Your letter of the 3rd. inst. addressed to me at 733 Guerrero 
St. San Francisco duly received at this place. Yes I remembei 


320 LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 

you very well and often wondered whatever became of you. 1 
am glad to hear that you are still living and I trust that all is well 
with you. Rest assured that nothing contained in your letter shall 
ever be known and that what researches I make On your behalf 
will be made in the most secret manner possible, and no one 
shall ever know that I have heard from you. I practised law four 
years in San Francisco, but owing to failing health returned to 
Napa where I am now practicing as you will see by this letter 
head, however I also have an office in San Francisco and am there 
several times each month. As to the information you desire it 
will involve a good deal of investigation, but as you say your 
means are limited and for that reason and childhood friendships, 
I will make but a small charge for the services you desire ren 
dered, say $25, which you can send me upon receipt of this. If I 
could employ some one to assist me in this matter I could ascer¬ 
tain the information much sooner for you, but being compelled to 
keep everything secret I shall have to do the work myself at odd 
times and hence there will be some delay in giving you the 
desired information. I saw your father not long since in Napa, 
he now residing in Calistoga and beng involved in a law suit over 
some land. He has grown old rapidly in the last few years. I 
have never had occasion to do any business for him for some 
reason or other he never having taken much fancy to me. Your 
brother George I used to see once in a while, hut have not for 
some years, some one told me that he was in Battle Creek, 
Mishigan at present. My sister Mary whom you mentioned is 
now living in S'. F. and the rest of my people all live here. If 
there are any other facts in your possession which in your judg¬ 
ment will assist me in the investigation necessary to be made 
please give me the same in detail in your next letter. It will 
not only be necessary to examine the records of the Courts here, 
but also in San Francisco, and if you desire an estimate of the 
value of any properties it may be necessary to examine the 
records of the Assessor in each place. Let me hear from you 
soon and address your reply to Napa. 

Yours, 

Henry C. Gesford. 

No. 43. 

Napa, Cal. Feb. 24, 1902. 

Dear Madam:— 

Your letter of the 30th. ult. received. I have deferred reply¬ 
ing because I desired to consider the matter further before I gave 
an opinion. I thank you for you testimonials, they are satisfac¬ 
tory. 

Now as to sending you money to come here on, that at pres¬ 
ent is impracticable, moreover I think it better for you to 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


321 


remain there than to come here until further developments. 
There are some questions which I desire you to enligten me on, 
towit:— You say there were three Manuel brothers, namely; 
Chandler Manuel, David Manuel, and Leonard Manuel, one of 
whom was your father and the other tw r o were your uncles, and 
that you are the only heir to all of the property. Do I under¬ 
stand you to mean that all three of those Manuels are dead and 
that you are the only child of one of them and that the other 
two had no children and have you any idea which one was your 
father? Further how could David A. Manuel, George W. Manuel 
and Hiram Manuel or either of them obtain possession of the 
property of your father and two uncles, and when do you think 
they obtained possession and where? 

Now that you have given me so much data, which I shall 
hold in the strictest confidence, I want you to give me a full 
history of this matter summarizing all of the evidence in your 
possession, so that I may determine what to do in the premises. 
I begin to understand the case, to some evtent, but hope that 
you will put me in possession of all of the facts so that I may 
proceed more intelligently. 

Let me hear from you soon. 

Yours, 

Henry C. Gesford. 

No. 44, is the wording and spelling of the letter that termin¬ 
ated our correspondence: 

No. 44. 

Napa Cal., Mar., 20th 1902. 

Dear Madam: 

A letter from Mr. J. D. McConkey, in addition to all other 
facts which have come to my knowledge through correspondence 
with you and other wise, have convinced me that I cannot afford 
to spend further time with your matters. What you should do is 
to employ some good detective agency to ferret out all of these 
facts and then place all your evidence in the hands of a lawyer 
and let him then proceed as his judgment may indicate. For the 
services I have already rendered, I make you no charge. This 
is to say to you that any relation of attorney and client which 
may have heretofore existed between us is hereby terminated. I 
return you all correspondence received in this matter. Again 
let me assure you that this matter shall remain with me inviolate. 

Yours, 

Henry C. Gesford. 

(Inch 5.) . 

No. 45, is the wording and spelling of a letter that was 

brought to us from the Postoffice, U. S. M., of Asotin, Asotin 
County, State of Washington. The envelope containing the 


322 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


letter, was stamped, Richford Vt Jan 14 1902. Asotin Jan 18 1902. 
Authorities on the U. S M., subject, say that no letter could go 
by U. S. M. from these places, in so short a length of time as 
five days, during the year of 1902. We therefore could come to 
no other conclusion than, the envelope and letter it contained, 
were forgeries. According to the circumstances, who would 
have any object to write such a letter to either of us, other than 
the said and alleged Manuels of the four, of California? 


No. 45. 


Richford Vt Jany 13th 1902 


J. W. King 

Asotin Wash 

Dear Sir 

yours of 4th inst received & will Say I had a talk with C. C. 
Manuel and he tells me that his uncle Chandler got into Prison 
and his Father bailed him out and he ran away & his Father had 
the bail to pay. And that was in 1849, and his Sons left Vermont 
about the Same time. Since then he has known but very little 
about them none of the Sons was married when they left Ver¬ 
mont. C. C. Manuel refers you to William Donigan South Troy 
Vt. he says he will know more about them then he does, any 
thing I can do for you in the future would be glad to do so 

Resp J. H. Gross 
D Sheriff 


Signs of the four, are very apparent in No. 46, which is the 
copy of the wording and spelling of a letter as it came from the 
Postoffice, U. S. M., of Lewiston, Nez Perce County. State of 
Idaho: 

No. 46. 

C. C. Manuel & Sons, 

Manufacturers of 

Butter Dishes, Wood Pie Plates 
Swell Drawer Fronts and Veneers. 

Richford, Vt., January 23, 1902 

Mr, James W. King, 

Lewiston, Nez Perce County, 

Idaho. 

Dear Sir:— 

Our Constable states that he has received a letter from you 
making some inquiries about our correspondence. I beg to say 
that the last letter I received from you was dated May 9”. My 
last letter to you was dated May 2”. 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


323 


My conclusion in the matter was that if you had a competent 
attorney who was convinced that you had a winning case, he 
would be willing to put up the money with which to carry it 
through. 

There is a Mr. Wrn. Donigan of Troy. Vt., who used to go 
to school with boys who knew some of these Manuel boys, and 
Mr, Donigan tells me that one of these early school mates wrote 
him at the time of Geo. Manuels death which leads me to 
believe that this Geo. Manuel was originally from Troy, Vt. 

I think that you might get some interesting information by 
writting to this Mr. Donigan. 

Very truly, C. C. Manuel 

No. 47, is the wording and spelling of an AFFIDAVIT from 
a very reliable man, who recognized my face to be a strong re¬ 
semblance to a man he had known in the State of California, 
during the last of the ’50’s and first of the '6CTs; who said there 
was no doubt in his mind from what he remembered and what I 
had told him, that I was either the daughter of the same Leonard 
Manuel, or the same Leonard was my uncle: 

No. 47. 

AFFIDAVIT. 

Lewiston Nezperce County Idaho 3/3 1902. 

This is to certify that during the year of 1858 to 1860, I saw 
and knew a man by the name of Leonard Manuel who was an ex¬ 
tensive cattle dealer and who owned a Spanish grant comprising 
leagues of land on the San Joaquin and Fresno plains and who 
was well known in the southern part of Calaveras County Cali¬ 
fornia at that date. I afterwards read an account of his murder 
in a San Francisco Newspaper which was supposed to have taken 
place some time between the years 1864 and 1865; the cause and 
his murderers being unknown to me. I also knew of a man going 
by the name of William, or Bill Freeman, who was known to have 
lived around the plains during the years 1858, to have been per¬ 
sonally acquainted with Leonard Manuel, and who apparently 
had no visible means of support. As I remember Leonard Man¬ 
uel, he was a healthy, robust, red-cheeked young man, and was 
prominent in that part of the state where he was Known. 

State of Idaho ) 

County of Nez Perces ) 

Personally appeared before me John D. McConkey, a Notary 
Public in and for Nez Perces County. State of Idaho, Samuel W. 
Childs, who being duly sworn, deposes and says that he has read 
the foregoing Statement and that the same is true of his own 
knowledge and belief. 


Samuel W. Childs 


324 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


Subscribed and sworn to be me this 4th day of March, 1902 

John D. McConkey 

Notary NOTARY PUBLIC 

Public in and for Nez Perce County, 

§ ea l State of Idaho, 

Mr. King, myself and others are witness to having seen and 
read a letter from one, of Tuolumne County, State of California, 
to the effect: That during the year of 1902, the Records of 
Tuolumne County, State of California, showed, that a man by the 
surname of Manuel, whose Christian name had been eiased from 
the Records of that County, had been murdered by a Mexican; 
that because self defense had been the plea, there had been no 
prosecution. Murdered between 1864 and 1865. 

No. 48, is the wording and spelling of a statement in part, 
of a right and much respected gentleman, the Hon. J. D. Mc¬ 
Conkey, of Lewiston, Nez Perce County, State of Idaho: 

No. 48. 

STATEMENT IN PART. 

Lewiston, Idaho, 

March 4, 1902 

TPIIS CERTIFIES that a gentleman has just made a sworn 
statement before me to the effect that he knew one Leonard 
Manuel between the years 1858 and 1860, and that the same 
Leonard Manuel owned land on the San Joaquin and Fresno 
plains at that date, and who was murdered between the years 
1864 and 1865. I am personally acquainted with Mr. and Mrs. 
J. W. King of this City, who have been hunting evidence for three 
years to bring his murderers to justice. I have not only seen 
evidence with Mrs. King’s statements that point very strongly, 
if not to my mind conclusively, as far as circumstantial evidence 
is concerned, that Mrs. King is either the daughter of Leonard 
Manuel, or he was her uncle. 

It also appears from evidence in possession of Mrs. King, that 
two other families have been wiped out, probably by the same 
party or parties who are responsible for the murder of Leonard 
Manuel, as well as suspicious circumstances that others by the 
same surname have met death through their hands. I have also 
seen letters to show that these same people are doing everything 
in their power to prevent and pervert justice, by obstructing and 
interfering with correspondence. 

(signed) ' J. D. McConkey, 

Justice of the Peace. 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


325 


No.’s 49, 51, 52, are copies of the wordings and spell¬ 
ings of letters as they came to Mr. J. W. King from the Post- 
office, U. S’. M., of Lewiston, Nez Perce County, State of Idaho; 
and are very fair samples of the gang’s accounts mixed with truth 
and error, to cover murder and property: 

No. 49. 

Mr James W King 

Clarkston Wash 
Dear Sir:— 

The Editor of the Gallatin Democrat handed me a letter you 
had wrote to the Sheriff of this county asking about Chandler 
& David Manuel, who lived here in 1860 as you wanted, to cor¬ 
respond with them. 

Mr. Kins: as I am a Son of Charles Chandler Manuel & a 
Nephew of David Manuel, who I presume are the parties you are 
asking about, 

I will answer your letter as best I can as you did not state 
the character of information wanted I hardly know how to 
answer your letter, 

But will say that Charles Chandler Manuel Died in 1886, and 
David Manuel, Left here some time after 1860 , as I was 
not Borned until 1866 I can not give the exact date he 
left nor where he went to but I have heard Father say he left 
her between 1860 & 66. I will further say that theie was One of 
the Brothers in Oakland Cal. some where about 1875 & 85 but 
I do not know which One, as there was 5 Brothers of them, 
Charles Chandler, David George, Leonard, & Henry. I never 
saw any of them except Henry who was here between 1882. & 86 
& have not heared from him since. I saw a few days ago in the 
Scientific American the address of a Geo. Manuel, In Sanfrancisco 
Cal who I thought might be an Uncle of mine. I am going to 
write to him in a few days, & I think there was a Sister who 
married a man by the name of Otis who lived in Chicago Ill, 
when last heared from which was years ago. Mr. King If you 
succeed in locating David or any of the rest of them I would 
be thankful for the" Information & address of any of them. 

Mr. King if there is any other Information you want I 
would be pleased to hear from you & I hope you will answer 
this letter at once. 

Gallatin Mo, Yours Truly 

May 12th 1902. Wm. M. Manuel 

We met by chance a Mr. Calbert, with whom we became 
somewhat acquainted, who informed us that he had relatives 
living in Gallatin, Daviess County, State of Missouri. We re- 

( 11 ) 


326 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


quested Mr. Calbert to do us the favor to find out from his 
relatives, if a one-armed man, with his three sons, namely, 
Chandler Manuel Sr., Chandler Jr., David and Leonard, had lived 
in that County during the ’50’s; to which Mr. Calbert said he had 
complied, and gave us the letter returned to him in answer to 
our inquiry; of which No. 50, is the quotation of the pait that 
pertained to our inquiry: 


No. 50. 

Gallatin Davis Co Mo 
May the 21th 

Mr. Calbert, . t 

Dear Cousin It is with pleasure that I respond my self, ot the 
preasent oppertunity of answering your most welcome lettei wich 
came to hand a wek or more. I would have answered it before 
now 1 , but we wanted to find out all we could a but the People you 
spoke of before we wrote, we saw one of David Manulies sons 
William Manuiel. he told Mr. Mallory quite good eal In regards 
to your Enquiry, those men all once lived in Davies County and 
Chanler Manuel ond land here, he is dead his. sons lives here, 
those others nanuels are his unkels one which lives in Oke land 
Calafornie which I believe is Leonard, the one here is William if 
you write to him he will give you what information he Can 

yours 

M. T. Mallory 


No. 51. 

OUR SECOND LETTER FROM WILLIAM. 

Gallatin Mo May 27th 1902 
Mr James W King- 
Dear Sir: 

I received your letter of the 20 inst & was thankful for the 
information in regaurd to my Uncle & Cousins I had all ready 
wrote to the Geo S Manuel you spoke of but I have not got any 
answer yet. the Geo W Manuel you spoke of was an Uncle of 
mine. Geo. S. Manuel I think is a son of David A. Manuel, he had 
a son Geo. Mr. King there is knou doubt about Chas Chandler 
& David A Manuel being Brothers. Chandler & David both Pre¬ 
empted land in Daviess°County & David A Manuel sold a part 
of his to Shaffer who you speak of. 

Mr King if you will Kindly inform me who you are & 
why you want to know if Chandler is a Brother of David Manuel 
who Preempted land & sold it to David Shaffer I can and will 
give you all the information you will want I am as anxious to 
know why you want to know about these Brothers as you are 
to find out about them. 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


327 


I think Wilder Manuel was my Grand Father I am not posi¬ 
tive I can find Out if nessary all a bout him Mr. King if you will 
state why and what information you want I will give you a 
detailed history of them so you will know positive whether they 
are the Manuels you want to find Out a bout you will please 
answer at Once. 

Yours Truly 

Win. Manuel. 

No. 52. 

OUR THIRD GUTTER FROM WILLIAM. 

Gallatin Mo June 16th 1902 
Mr James W King 
Dear Sir:— 

yours of June 7th at hand & contents noted. 

Mr. King I do not wish to be misunderstood In this mattei 
but I want to be plain, from the reading of your letters there 
seems to be a tinge of a mysterry a bout them that I can not 
understand. 

As to your relative you have taken me on surprise but will 
say, that in looking Over Fathers Old letters. I find 
a letter written by David Manuel from Napa City, 
Napa Co., Colifornia dated March 1875. In this letter 
he stated that he left Missouri in 1863 & he & his 
wife had parted & he had remarried & had 4 children by his 
first wife & 2 by his second wife, & his first wife had also mrried 
again, he also mentioned his first wifes name as Laura & he was 
married when he left here and he is the same David Manuel, who 
sold his property to David Schaffer 

Mr King I would like to ask you a few questions, from what 
State did your relative & the Manuels you refer to emigrate from 
to Missouri. & of what kin is your relative to you. what year 
did they emigrate to Mo. in 

how long has it bin since you have seen any of the Manuels 
you spoke of (in Oakland & San Francisco) 

I wrote to Geo Manuel & I was in hopes I would hear from 
him before I answered this letter, will you please give me the 
street & number of Walter G. Manuel of Oakland & I will write 
him & if they are cousins of mine we can ascertain the where 
abouts of your relative. 

Mr. King you intimated that you would like to see Missouri & 
see what it looked like, while I am Only a humble Engineer I 
would be peased to entertain you the best I can & I would like 
verrv much for you to visit me & we can talk this matter Over 
thoroughly Yours Truly 

Wm Manuel. 

P. S. why did you ask about Wilder Manuel, what was your 
relatives maiden name. 


328 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 

No. 53, is a copy of the wording of an account that appeared 
in a Tuolumne County, California, newspaper: 

No. 53. 

Information Wanted. 


We publish the following letter by request: 

Clarkston, Asotin Co., \\ ash., 

May 7, 1902. 

Mr. H. L. Howe, Undertaker: Dear Sir—Wishing to gain 
some information in regards to some relatives, I have just been 
informed did live near your city about 1858 to 1864, and if you 
will aid me I will be very thankful to you. I was told one 
Leonard Manuel, who was well known m the southern part ot 
Calaveras countv. He was a cattleman and was murdered 
about 1864 or 1865. If you can find some old settlers that would 
remember him and the circumstances; also what became of ms 
wife and child and where he was buried. I wish to find his wife 
and child. As we have not been able to learn the names of an> 
of the old setlers, if vou will send me the names of those who 
knew him I can write to them also. I am sure there must, be 
some living there yet that will remember him and all the cir¬ 
cumstances and what became of his wife and clnlc. 

Yours very respectfully, 

Tames Andrews. 


p. S.—I was told there were two brothers by the name of 
Frosts, but could not learn their Christian names. They lived 
on the Stanislaus river and they were cattlemen and knew 
Leonard Manuel well. If I can procure their address and names 
in full, or learn from them the circumstances and some one 
around Knights Ferry. 


No. 54, is an exact wording and spelling of a letter as it came 
from the Postoffice, U. S. M., of Clarkston, Asotin County, State 
of Washington. Hiram C. Manuel, (one of the four), was 
startled and enxious about the inquiry of the missing Leonard 
Manuel, who No. 48 says was murdered between the years of 1864 
and 1865; that can be seen from his letter of 54, showing that 
he was watching and on the alert for such inquiries, repre¬ 
senting his place of residence to be San Francisco, instead of 
Sonoma County, California, according to No. 53; and is evi¬ 
dence with other No/s, that the said Hiram C. dodges about from 
place to place, when being inquired for, as does his brother, 
D. A. Manuel, of Napa County and vicinity: 



LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


329 


No. 54. 

Sanfrancisco May 31 1902 

to Mr Andrews 

der Sir I Saw an Adveertisment in a toulimania Co Paper in 
Regards to a Man by the Name Lenoard Manuel i would like 
Very Much to Know Something about him My Self as i have a 
Brother by the Name of Leonard Manuel have not herd from 
him for about 50 years we ware all Born in Vermont he would 
about 71 or 72 years old now if you will Plese give Me what 
information you Can and oblige 

Hiram C. Manuel 
246 Fair oaks St 

in haist Sanfrancisco Cal 

When we had received and read all of the letters signed 
C. C. Manuel, of the foregoing, since the receipt of No. 35, we 
were decidedly of the opinion, that if the same C. C. Manuel 
responsible for No. 35, had written any more answers to oui- 
letters after our receipt of 35, that they did not reach us as 
written or dictated by him; that if he had received any more of 
our letters written to him, after our receipt of 35, that they did 
not find him, as we had written them. It can be seen that all 
letters signed C. C. Manuel, or those represented to have come 
from him, are gradually undoing the dates and accounts as given 
about the three missing Manuel brothers, Chandler Jr., David 
and Leonard Manuel, sons of Chandler Manuel Sr., who all came 
West and disappeared from the sight and knowledge of their 
relatives in Vermont; which account is decidedly incriminating 
to the four said and alleged Manuel brothers of California, namely, 
David A., George W., Hiram C., and Harrison; and it can be 
seen that No.’s 49, 51 and 52, are making strenuous efforts to help 
out in this direction to the interest and saving of the four said 
Manuel brothers and their gang in the State of California and 
Daviess County, State of Missouri. It appears from the con¬ 
tradictory accounts of all of the foregoing numbers signed C. C. 
Manuel, excepting 35, from the fact that 35 is incriminating to 
the gang, that they have intercepted and forged answers each 
way, to prevent truth from reaching each way, and have com¬ 
posed answers to letters that are calculated to disgust, baffle, 
deceive, to impress readers with the idea that I have some kind 
of a hallucination. Letters plain enough to be seen from their 
contents, intended to discourage my search for any more in- 


330 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 

formation in regards to the missing Manuels, Chandler Manuei 
Sr., and his three sons, Chandler Jr., David and Leonard. They are 
so much like the gang and their sayings and dealings towards me, 
that I believe they are responsible for them. They are in 
their interest, and dicidedly against my interest. In view of all 
this, we went to an Attorney and requested him to write and a - 
dress a letter to C. C. Manuel, Richford, Franklin County, V er- 
mont, to see what kind of a reply that he would get. The Attorney 
wrote the letter for us, in which he put questions; some of w uc 1 

were: 

“Did your relative, Chandler Manuel Sr., have any more or 
less than three sons when he left the State of Vermont? When 
did they leave Vermont? What were their names? When and 
where were they when you last heaid fiom them? 

To this letter an answer came through the U. S'. M. Not 
one of the lawyer’s questions were answered, which angered the 
Attorney, not understanding the tricks of the gang, who gave us 
the letter, in the utmost disgust, of which No. 55 is a copy of the 
wording and spelling: 

No. 55. 

Richford, Vt., July 19, 1902. 

Mr. Charles L. McDonald, 

Lewiston, Idaho. 

Dear sir, _ , . j . . 

I am in receipt of your letter of the 12th mst., making in¬ 
quiry as to Mrs King and her relatives. 

I w iH say that any questions which I may be able to answer 
will receive my very best attention. You are mistaken about Mis. 
King’s father being by brother. Mrs. King’s grandfather, Chand¬ 
ler Manuel, was a brother to Gardner Manuel, who was my 
father, which would make my relation-ship to Mis. Kings father 

first cousin . __ , 

I have become very much interested m Mrs. King s story, 

and at one time I thought quite favorably of going on to make 
a more thorough investigation, as she certainly relates a very 

tragic story. . . . , . 

As you have intimated the supposition that she is working 

on is that the original David Manuel, who went from Troy, Vt., 
was murdered and that the alias David Manuel is another family 
entirely. There is a Mr. William Donnigan, who now lives m 
Troy, Vt., and was acquainted with George Manuel a brother of 
David Manuel, also a man by the name of Pike, who originally 
went from Troy, Vt., to California. Since having the correspond¬ 
ence with Mrs. King, I was in conversation with Mr. Donnigan 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


331 


and lie spoke of receiving a letter from this Mr. Pike in Cali¬ 
fornia, announcing the death of George Manuel. Mrs. King 
claimed to me that this George Manuel was a brother of the 
alias David Manuel. 

This bit of information has led me to believe that she must 
be mistaken in some way, for evidently this same family of Man¬ 
uels that are now in California, must have come from Troy Vt., 
and we cannot see how that a strange family could have come 
up to take their place without this Mr. Pike having knowledge 
of the matter. 

As I stated before, any question that I can answer or any 
information that I can give, will be given cheerfully, 

Very respectfully, 

C. C. Manuel 
F 

No. 56, is the wording and spelling of a statement given 
me by the County Attorney of Nez Perce County, State of Idaho: 


Miles S. Johnson, 

County Attorney 

Office of 


No. 56. 


COUNTY ATTORNEY 
Nez Perce Co., Idaho 

Lewiston, Idaho, Jan 7th, 1903 

To whom it may concern: 

From letters and statements made to me I have come to the 
conclusion that there is good grounds for believing that Mrs. 
J. W. King has an interest in a large estate in California and if 
she can substantiate in Court what has been stated to me she 
ought to recover a large sum and I believe that she should go 
there and commence the necessary proceedings to determine her 

rights. ! i ! 

Yours truly 

Miles S. Johnson. 


No. 57. 

“George W. Manuel, now deceased, had deeded the Manuel 
block on Main street to his wife, Jennie E. Manuel. The instru¬ 
ment of gift was filed for record with Recorder Deweese, Friday. 

Napa Register, 1900Y 

Recorder Deweese, of No. 57, was one of the Deweese 
brothers who were escorts to Carrie and Anna Belle Colburn, in 


Napa, in 1875. 

No. 58. 

“Walter Manuel of San Francisco, a son of the late G. W. 
Manuel, was in Napa to-day. Napa Register, 1900.” 


332 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


No. 59. 

“The marriage of Miss Jenine E. Manuel and George W. 
Clopp, took place at noon Saturday at the bride’s residence, 678 
Fourteenth street, Oakland. Mr. and Mrs Klopp will spend their 
honeymoon at Del Monte. San Francisco Examiner, 1904. 

No. 59 is an announcement of the marriege of the flourishing 
widow of the said deceased G. W. Manuel (one of the four), of 
Oakland, 678 Fourteenth and Castro streets; and No. 58, is a 
personal of the son of G. W. Manuel. 

It appears from the plot, conspiracy together with the 
answers to our correspondence, that the four said Manuel brothers 
of California, sent Shaffer and Barnett their accomplices, “to hold 
the land for them, to answer all questions to satisfy the qublic,” 
to Daviess County, State of Missouri, to hold the land for them 
that belonged to Chandler Manuel Sr., and his three sons—there 
were no more than three sons—namely, Chandler Jr., David and 
Leonard; who were originally from the State of Vermont. It 
appears also, according to the name, circumstances together with 
our correspondence, that Charlotte and the said David Manuel, 
of Sonoma, St. Luis, Calistoga, Napa, one of the four, of the 
State of California, sent their eldest son William Manuel back to 
Daviess County, State of Missouri, years after, to aid their ac¬ 
complices Shaffer and Barnett; who writes confusing, contra¬ 
dictory accounts and tells different stories in Daviess County, 
than he does to those writing for information; and gets posses¬ 
sion of letters directed to Officials of the same County. It ap¬ 
pears from No.’s 15, 17, 21, 49, 51, 52 and 60, that the same 
William Manuel represents himself to he a son of three different 
fathers, namely, Charles A. Manuel, Charles Chandler Manuel 
and David Manuel. Why this is done by him, will appear evident 
enough, I think, to readers, when taken into consideration with 
my true story. It is not strange therefore, that inquirers and 
Attorneys from other places not knowing the truth of the plot 
anl conspiracy, become confused and baffled by the information 
that comes to them from Daviess County, State of Missouri. We 
found in a Gallatin, State of Missouri, newspaper, the address of 
an ex-Marshal of the same County and State, who had left there, 
and was living in Leesville, L. A., to whom I wrote and mailed 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


333 


a letter, asking information about Manuels living in Daviess 
County, Missouri; of which No. 60, was the wording and spell¬ 
ing of the answer returned to me through the U. S. M., of the 
city of Fresno, Fresno County, State of California: 

No. 60. 

Leesville L a June 9 

yours to hand and in Reply will say that I will help yew all I can 
thare was one family by the name of manwel lived near Gallatin 
tha tha are old setlers the old man is dead but has two sons liv¬ 
ing thare now one by the name of William and one by the name 
of Warren manwel the old man name was charley he died some 
20 years a go if yew Rite yew had Better Rite to William at 
Gallatin Davis county Mo and when yew anser this and give me 
all of the partickwlars give me your age & and if yew are mar • 
read or singal and what yew maden name and the name of the 
people that S'told yew give me your history as near as yew can 
up to now yow need not fear that I will give yow a way I was 
marshall thar for 6 years and know all of the old settlers maby 
I can help yew out 
Yours with Resp 

J. W. Mitchell 

tha all coll me Dady Mitchell up thare 

Laura and George S., her eldest son, taught me when small, 
that my birthplace was Pike County, State of Missouri, 1861, 
where Mr. King inquired for marriages of Manuels and Chandlers, 
and No. 62, is the wording and spelling of the answer, as it came 
to me through the U. S. M., of the Pacific Postoffice, King 
County, Washington: 

No. 61. 

RECORDER’S OFFICE, 
of Pike County 
Harry H. Brown Recorder 

Bowling Green, Missouri 

James W. King 3/25-1911 

Pacific 

Washington 

Dear your letter to hand. I find no name of Manuel on the 
Marriage Record but find that one J. Chandler was married to 
Miss Mary Frances Truslow, on the 24th day of April 1864. 

The above parties came from Louisana Mo. 

I am yours Very Truly 

PI. H. Brown 


334 


LINKS OF MYSTEIRY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


A CONTINUATION OF SKETCH 37. 

When we read No. 18, in Lewiston, Idaho, I asked Mr. 
King how the newspaper account impressed him as a whole? 

Mr. King said: “It appears to me as though it was composed 
to cover; to give readers the idea that the said G. W. Manuel 
was of a prominent ancestry, who possessed energy, mechanical 
ability, genius, and most everything inherent that he did not 
possess, that is characteristic among white people and not Mexi¬ 
cans of the dark races; who are various nationalities mixed with 
Indians, who do not possess the morals and character of full- 
blooded Indians. Of course there are exceptions among all races 
of people; but I speak of the average criminal type more par¬ 
ticularly; for George W. was decidedly of that type. I believe 
from what you have told me, that the said George W. Manuel s 
surname was something other than Manuel, and that he mar¬ 
ried a Miss Sylvia Griswold, and not Lucy Griswold; that Laura, 
was a Miss Mary Griswold, and married a man by some surname 
other than Manuel; that the same two Misses married in the 
same County in Illinois where Laura told you she crossed from 
Aurora over the Fox river, where they procured their marriege 
license.. It appears to me from what you have told me, that all 
of the four said Manuel brothers of Napa, took the name of Man¬ 
uel to gain possession of land and property, probably money in 
bank, that belonged to others by the same surname; your father, 
uncles and other relatives who came to California included. 
Your mother, I think, was the writer and composer of the novel 
that came out in the “New York Ledger” under the title of 
“Hetta,” or, “The Broken Home;” and there is no telling how 
much your gang derived from the sale of the same story, or what 
money, land or property belonged to your mother, that the gang 
have confiscated to themselves. The most of the wealth of your 
parents may not have come from your father or his relatives, 
but there was money, land or property of some description willed 
or known to be yours, at the time your parents and relatives 
you knew disappeared; it could not have been otherwise, or your 
gang would have put you out in short order, like they did your 
other relatives; and the evidence to show that I am correct, was 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


335 


the fact that Laura took you before Dave McClure and took an 
oath to that effect. You heard her yourself say, that “you was the 
true heir to land,” she wanted to divide among her boys, when 
you were in Fresno; but your gang had to be cautious about how 
they disposed of you, for fear of the crime being proven on them, 
from the fact that they were claiming relationship to you to get 
the property that was yours by right of inheritance from your 
relatives. That all appears to me from your story as plain as 
the nose on your face. I know that it could have been easily ac¬ 
complished in the time and place and among the kind of people 
that were your surroundings, when the plot against your relatives 
and yourself was laid by your gang. Did I not have a similar 
experience of my own? The lawyers and Judges of the Courts 
were not always to blame, either, for they were compelled to go 
by the evidence and witnesses who came before them and brought 
to them. If they were decidedly of the opinion that there was a 
plot and crime behind it all, they were ignorant to facts and 
witnesses to expose the same, and many of them could not do 
justice on account of the members and power of the criminal and 
dangerous element in California during the '50’s and TO's; who 
had the reputation of uniting with criminals of various kinds and 
nationalities to murder and plunder peaceable white people who 
then came to California.” 

I said: “I have no doubts that you are correct about 
Lawyers, Courts and Judges in many instances, in California; 
nevertheless, it does look to me from what I have seen, heard 
and know, that some of the Officials and Lawyers of California, 
where the gang reside and are known, were willing to let them 
have very much their own way about defrauding me of my inher¬ 
itance; as long as they did not murder me in such a manner as 
to bring out the true cause, which would expose the true plot, 
conspiracy, perjury, slackness of some courts, and expose the 
real kind of people my said relatives of the four, really were; and 
the amount of inheritance I had been defrauded out of, from 
missing, murdered relatives. If I did not think they had been 
taken advantage of in the most treacherous way, and have been 
murdered in the most brutal and cruel way, I would not feel so 
bad about it all; but I know the dispositions of two families of 
the said Manuels towards me, when they were supposed to have 


336 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


been treating me their best, and I have a horror of what appears 
to me they have done to my relatives who I believe were feeding 
and clothing them when the plot was being laid against my 
parents in the State of California, before other relatives came 
there in search of them and me. I do not say that Lucy liked 
crime as an occupation ; but I could not think as I knew them, 
that George W. and David A., two of the four, could like any 
kind of* an existance other than a criminal career, and Laura in¬ 
cluded. That appealing wail of distress and grief that sounded 
in mv ears from the Napa river when a child, has since caused 
me at times, to break out in sobs and tears at the remembrance 
of it. I believe the said George W. Manuel, was the one, or 
among others, who murdered My Father; and that is why his 
eyes were haunted. I now believe that Dave and Laura were the 
couple who murdered My Mother, when I last saw her at the 
old house by the Napa river, and missed her in the morning, and 
found Laura, with a fiendish smile on her face, that was such a 
shock to me, that I never forgot when and where I first saw 

Laura.” 

“Mr. King broke in excitedly: “Well, I’m going to tell you 
now, as I have told you before, that I believe Dave and Laura did 
murder that woman who brought you to the old house with her 
that night you last saw' her, and threw her body into the Napa 
river near the old house, where you heard that wail of distiess 
calling vour name from the Napa river. They might have 
or]ven her a stunning blow that made hei unconscious, and 
when she hit the water, gave that same kind of a wail 
of grief and distress calling for you, before she breath¬ 
ed her last. She was either your Mother, or some 
woman who thought as much of you. Oh—the fiends! I am 
determined to get the best of them at the risk of my life! It is 
like getting some satisfaction for what has been done to my 
parents and me! It looks to me as though that old house and 
grounds must have belonged to your parents or some of your 
relatives. If the truth was known, it appears as though all of 
the ground they w r ere in possession of shortly after you missed 
your parents, belonged to your parents or relatives. The links 
in your story, appear like it. I have an opinion from wdiat you 
have told me, that the said Hiram C. Manuel, one of the four, 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


337 


went bv the name of Amos Griswold before he took the name 
of Hiram C. Manuel; that the said Jennie Griswold is the said 
Hiram’s daughter; that the said Hiram C. Manuel, of Sonoma, 
one of the four, is Lucy's brother. Lucy and Laura might have 
been related, but I have doubts that they were full sisters. Their 
style, language, and raising as you have described them to me, 
does not indicate it. They were both enemies to you in the 
plot, and it appears to me as though Laura was preventing them 
all from defrauding her out of her share of the plunder, by retain¬ 
ing you in her custody at all hazzards, until such a time as she 
could dispose of you in some kind of a manner, that neither they, 
or anyone else could prove it on her, claim whatever had been 
willed to you by relatives, and the others could not influence or 
stop her as long as she did not expose them and the plot, which 
would expose herself. 

Mr. King said: “If G. W. Manuel did die in the manner 
which the newspaper account said he did, according to the circum¬ 
stances, it appears as though he committed suicide. If he is 
dead, I am sorry of it. I would like to get him before the Courts. 

I am afraid every one of this gang will have their deaths adver¬ 
tised in newspapers, when there is any serious danger of their 
being arrested or notified to appear before a Court on any com¬ 
plaint we may put against them, and will, in this way, effect 
their escape. this would be the easiest and surest way they 
could beat us in their games, and this is where I am afraid we are 
going to lose out. It does not appear the least reasonable to me, 
that a Mexican would have been born in North Troy, Orleans 
County, Vermont, during the '30’s, of ancestry who lived there 
several generations; or be an inventor of valuable inventions; 
particularly, Gang-plows. I never did hear of a Mexican being 
an inventor or a patentee. They ploughed with a crooked stick 
in Mexico, during the ’60’s, and do yet. It is not characteristic 
of them to be inventors, or Indians either.” 

I inquired: “Do you know when the famous Erie Canal was 
completed?” 

Ivlr King replied: “I think I can find it in our Almanac. 
Searching the Almanac, Mr. King announced: “The Almanac 
savs the famous Erie Canal was completed in the year 1825, which 
is no doubt correct. If the said G. W. Manuel (one of the four), 


338 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


was born in the year of 1837, as the newspaper account says he 
was, then the famous Erie Canal would have been completed 12 
years before he was born. He could not, therefore, have been a 
contractor to help build the famous Erie Canal, as the newspaper 
account said he did.” 

I continued: “He must have been a swift inventor, swift 
lover, swift traveler. Just think! An implement and valuable 
patent controler, landing in California from the State of Illinois 
with a wife like Lucy, before he had seen his twenty-first year. 
People would think him remarkable, who believed all the news¬ 
paper account said about him, and to do all of this when there 
were few railroads, and no rahroad from Illinois to Califoinia. 
Do you suppose the patents were given to him?" 

Mr. King replied: “No, not one of them. I believe as you 
do, that the Gang-plow papers to patents were taken from the 
man they murdered in the blacksmith shop, in 1867, when they 
murdered him and took everything off of him, to conceal his name 
and identity, and the same man was your uncle Chandler; and 
that was why you heard no more about him, or the land your 
gang wanted, that he was probably the true owner of. If we 
could get trace of land that belonged to one Chandler Manuel, 
we would, no doubt, find land that some member of your gang 
was either in possession of, or had sold, if we could prove it on 
them.” 

I said: “According to what I heard them say, neither 
George, Lucy, Dave or Laura had money enough to buy a house 
and lot, when they first arrived in California." 

Mr. King said: “According to your story, your said Manuel 
relatives (of the four) must have been guilty of the murder of 
your parents and relatives wdio came to California, to get what¬ 
ever belonged to them. How could it be otherwise, and your 
story be true?" 

I said: “My story is true, as I know it. You can depend 
on it, however it came about." 

Mr. King said: “There were many fortunes made in a short 
time in California, during the ’50’s and ’60's and ’70’s, without 
crime in the years of gold and plenty; but there is all to indicate, 
according to Laura’s story she taught you, what you remember, 
have heard and seen, that your gang were of the kind who got 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


339 


their living and wealth by plunder and murder; who, as time went 
on, found it necessary to conceal past crimes and their true occu¬ 
pation, by blinds, perjury and deception, which they have been 
educating themselves and their children to, as appears.” 

We decided to write to Daviess County, Missouri, to find 
out there, who sold the land there, described in No. 15, and who 
it was sold to, that we understood Webber & Rutherford in No. 
17, to mean, belonged to me, before my said father, David, David 
A.*, and David C. Manuel (one of the four), sold it. No. 21, was 
our answer which revealed to us the whereabouts entirely con¬ 
clusive, of the accomplices of the gang: namely, Shaffer and 
Barnett; whom I heard George W. Manuel tell Laura in 1867, 
they would “send back, to hold the land for them, to answer all 
questions to satisfy the public.” From the fact that the man who 
sold this land to Shaffer and Barnett, had a wife named Char¬ 
lotte, and a former wife named Laura, was a resident of Napa, 
California, and had sold the land to men by the names of Shaffer 
and Barnett, established the true identity of the man who sold it 
beyond any question or dispute, who was no other than the saia 
David Manuel, the said brother to Harrison, Hiram C. and George 
W. Manuel, of California. We sent letters of inquiry to Kane 
County and surrounding Counties and other Counties of the 
State of Illinois, to find out if there was any one or more mar¬ 
riages recorded in those counties, of Manuels married to Gris¬ 
wolds or Griswalds; from which we received answers, denying 
there were any found on Records of Kane County, or surrounding 
Counties; and No, 24, contains the contents of one letter I wrote, 
that was returned to me, with the answer written on it; which 
disputes there was any Laura or Lucy Griswold married to Man¬ 
uels: and therefore, disputes No. 18, that there was any Lucy 
Griswold, married to any G. W. Manuel, found on record, where 
the newspaper account said they were married. ^ True to Mr. 
Kincr's guessing from my story, came No. 25; which ap¬ 
peared from what I had heard Mrs. Ritchie, Lucy and 
Laura say, according to my true story, that the initial S, 
in Georue S. Manuel’s name stood for Sylvester, named 
from his" aunt Sylvia; that Laura’s name was Mary, and 
Lucy’s name was Sylvia; that according to what Laura 
told Emma Ritchie, that the initial G, in Walter G. Man- 


340 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


uel’s name, stood for Gerome. The old fashioned way of spelling 
Gerome, was with a G., and not a J. "Was the true name of G. 
W. Manuel, Gerome B. Woodworth? Was Daves true name 
Vincint H. Freeman? Was Lucy’s true name, Sylvia M. Gris- 
wald? Was Laura’s true name, Mary Griswald? Or, did they 
use these names to represent other people who had disappeared 
as mine had? We sent another letter of inquiry of the same 
parties, the answer of which, was No. 33. From the fact that 
Griswald was spelled with an o, and Gerome had been chengecl 
to James in No. 33, when we sent a second letter inquiring the 
names of men who married Mary and Sylvia Groswald, it appears 
as though the party responsible for No. 33, was not aware that 
we had already received No. 25; that from No. 33, it appears, we 
were getting nearer some trail, than was desirable. YY hen Laura 
and I were residents of the home of G. W. and Lucy in the last 
of 1867 and first of 1868, I often heard Laura and Lucy speak of 
men by the names of Young, Cody, Wheeler, and sometimes 
Dudley, and gathered from their conversation, from what I 
could understand of it, that men by these names had lived some¬ 
where, not many miles from a place called Algonquin, which 
place I often heard mentioned by Lucy to Laura. Who these 
men were, or why they mentioned their names so often, is more 
than I know; and if I ever knew any more about them, I do not 
remember it. 

No. 23 says: “George Manuel, a civil engineer of this county 
who died a year or so ago.’’ On account of this affirmation, I 
wrote letters inquiring when, where and how, George S. Manuel 
died; also a letter inquiring if our said mother, Laura C. Colburn, 
was yet alive; which accounts for No. 29. Neither Mr. King or 
I answered No. 29, and we found the same George S. Manuel, my 
eldest said brother, alive, later. 

The A. A. Manuel, of No. 30, and the Harvey S. Manuel, ol 
No. 32, are unknown to Mr. King and myself. 

No. 18 boldly represents one of the four said Manuel brothers, 
namely, the prominent, swift, agricultural-implement-gang-plow- 
patent controler, of Napa and 678 Fourteenth and Castro streets, 
Oakland, of capitalistic fame, was of a prominent ancestry; who 
occupied a homestead in North Troy, Orleans County, Vermont, 
of several genrations; who was known as a Mexican in Napa and 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


341 


as a brother to the said Mexican of Napa and Calistoga, the said 
and alleged David A. Manuel (one of the four), who sold the land 
in Daviess County, State of Missouri, to their accomplices, Shaf¬ 
fer and Barnett, according to facts within my knowledge, that can 
he evidenced by many living witnesses, and No’s 15, 17 and 21. 

Mr. King said: “How do you know hut some of your rela¬ 
tives might have lived in North Troy, Orleans County, Vermont, 
and the object of the newspaper publication, was a hold dash on 
the part of the late G. W. Manuel, to account for, in his and other 
members of his gang’s possession, property and money in bank, 
that belongs to you, and had belonged to your relatives, before 
they disposed of them?” 

I replied: “Now you have struck an idea, that also strikes 
me, I think, even more forcible than yourself. Yes, that does 
appear to me like them, and like their tricks.” 

Mr. King said: “It looks to me, as though the lawyers 
found evidence of this kind on record, and the newspaper account 
(No. 18) was a bold dash, to aid his widow and their child, who 
are, it appears, in possession of your name Eleanor; to cover and 
account for property revealed on Record, that belonged to you 
by inheritance or will; to shield his widow, the said Jennie E. 
Griswold; to shield his daughter, Mrs. L. S. Burchard; to shield 
his prominent son, Walter Gerome, the prominent ex-councilman 
of Oakland; who, according to his personal in the same paper, 
(No. 58) now advertises his place of residence in San Francisco, 
and leaves the G. out of his name. I wonder if any of your gang 
have caught on to some of our inquiries going to Illinois? It is 
beginning to appear like it. I think we had better send a letter 
to Vermont, to see what we can find out about the ancestry of 
the prominent G. W., who worked on the famous Erie Canal 
before he was born. How would you write the letter to catch 
what we wish to know?” 

I replied: “Arouse their curiosity. Tell the party we have 
some valuable information to impart to relatives of two brothers 
who disappeared during the '60’s in the West, who we are in 
search of; that we are in search of relatives of Chandler Manuel 
and David Manuel, brothers; and have heard that a family of 
Manuels had lived in your town, County and State, for several 
generations. If you know of any Chandler and David Manuel 



342 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


brothers, who disappeared from Vermont during the ’60’s, or at 
any prior time, who yet have any relatives living in your town 
or State, please send us the names of all the men of this family, 
according to their generations, and names in particular of all the 
relatives of the same family of Chandler and David, and names 
of those who came West; that is if you know them, or they can 
be obtained without any difficulty. Please give facts, for we wish 
to be sure that they are the family we are in search of, before we 
impart the information.'’ 

Mr. King wrote the letter according to my dictation, ad¬ 
dressed it to “Sheriff of North Troy, Orleans County, Vermont;” 
from which we received a reply in due time, which was No. 34. 
When No. 34 came, we were very much excited and entirely con¬ 
fident that we had found relatives of my missing father and 
uncles, David and Chandler Manuel; and from No. 34 we ob¬ 
tained the names and addresses of Chas. C. Manuel and Lorenzo 
Manuel, to whom I wrote and registered my letters; of which 
No’s 35 and 36 were the answers; that were also registered 
letters. 

No.’s 37 and 38, were answers to letters Mr. King wrote at 
my dictation for information about Manuels, Griswolds and 
Thompsons; that was addressed to the Chief of Police, Aurora, 
Kane County, Illinois. There are acknowledgments in them 
that evidence my true story, as to what Laura taught me, whether 
true or false. In view of their contents, the letters Mr. King 
wrote, and the fact that they were both handwritten, lead me 
to think that they are deceptive letters dictated or written by my 
gang, to baffle and to carry out their deceptions they taught me. 
I doubt if the same Chief of Police ever saw the same letter 
written by Mr. King, or knew anything about the contents of 
No.’s 37 and 38. 

Mr. Samuel W. Childs, an elderly gentleman, of honest and 
truthful reputation, by chance, saw me with Mr. King on Snake 
River Ave., Lewiston, one day, and a day or two after, asked 
Mr. King what my name was before it was Mrs. King. 

“Why do you ask that question?” said Mr. King. 

“I knew a young man years gone by. Mrs. King has a face 
that so much resembles the face of that young man 1 knew, that 
she brought his memory back to me; and I have wondered if 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


343 


Mrs. King could have been his daughter, since I saw her with 
you.” 

“What was the young man’s name?” Mr. King inquired. 

Mr. Childs replied: “His surname was Manuel. His given 
name I would know if I heard it, which I cannot, just now recall 
to memory.” 

Mr. King anxiously and eagerly volunteered: “I will call 
over several names of men, to see if you can identify the name 
when you hear it: George, Dave, Harrison, Hiram, Chandler, 
Leonard,” 

“There! that is the name,” said Mr. Childs, when Mr. King 
said Leonard. “Leonard Manuel was the name of the man 1 
knew, whose face resembled your wife’s.” 

After some further conversation, Mr. King hurried home and 
excitedly announced: “I have found a man that knew Leonard 
Manuel, on the Fresno plains, in 1858. Then Mr. King related the 
foregoing and continued: 

“Mr. Childs told me Leonard Manuel told him then, that he 
had just married, or was going to get married—Mr. Childs could 
not remember which, and that Leonard Manuel said something 
about some relatives he expected would join him in California, 
before long; though he could not remember any more Leonard 
Manuel told him about his marriage or relatives. Your memory 
was all right when a child. I asked Mr. Childs the names and lo¬ 
cation of some persons who knew Leonard Manuel in California 
and where he lived, to be sure that the same man was a brother 
to Chandler and David, and Mr. Childs told me that he left the 
Fresno plains and neither saw or heard any more of him until 
after 1864; that Leonard Manuel was traveling most of the time 
in California, buying and selling cattle; and he knew very little 
about his personal or family affairs; that he was well known in 
’58, in the southern part of Calaveras County, (that would now 
be Tuolumne County) ; and it might have been the same Leonard 
Manuers home—lie was not certain; but said he knew that 
Leonard Manuel went to Napa, Sacramento, San Francisco, Val¬ 
lejo, the Fresno and San Joaquin plains, and up around Marys¬ 
ville and that vicinity, buying and taking cattle to market; that 
from what he had seen, knew and heard, this Leonard Manuel 
was an extensive land and cattle owner in California; was a 


344 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


personal friend of the Frost brothers, who lived on a lanch near 
Stockton, on the Stanislaus river, California; where Leonard 
Manuel often stopped over night, and sometimes spent a week 
at a time with them. I asked Mr. Childs what kind of a looking 
man Leonard Manuel was? Mr. Childs said Leonard Manuel was 
a stout, robust, rosy-cheeked, light-complexioned young man; a 
white man, who according to what he had heard of him, was 
popular among those who knew him; whose reputation was 
that of a jolly, good-natured and energetic young man.” 

“Did Mr. Childs ever hear, know, or have any idea what 
became of him?” I asked Mr. King. 

“That is the part I hate to tell you,” Mr. King said. 

“You know what I already think became of him. Tell me the 
truth, whatever it might be, I replied. “I am prepared to hear 
the worst—I think.” 

Mr. King said: “Leonard Manuel was murdered. Mr. 
Childs told me that he read an account of Leonard Manuel’s 
murder, in a San Francisco newspaper, between 1864 and 186a. 

“Yes,” I replied, “that was no doubt my father or uncle, 

I lived and traveled with, who was dear to me as any father could 
have been. I guess you are now as thoroughly convince as to 
who his murderers were, and why he was murdered, as I am.” 

“Yes,” said Mr. King, “How could I have any doubts of it 
now, if I ever did have any doubts of it before?’ 

“I must see Mr. Childs,” I said, “and see if I can find out 
any more about Leonard Manuel, than he has told you.” 

Mr. King took me to Mr. Childs and introduced us. 

“Mr. Childs,” I said, “I knew three sisters who boarded, 
roomed and were scholars of ‘The Napa Young Ladies Seminary/ 
in 1874, named Amelia, Susie and Dixie Childs. Were they an) 
relation to you?" 

Mr. Childs replied: “Yes, they were my brother’s children, 
and my nieces.” 

We three then had a talk about the missing Manuel brothers, 
when, and how I missed the woman I thought must have been 
my mother, and the identification of the picture of one I believed 
was my missing Father, Leonard Manuel. 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


345 


“Mr. Childs," I said, “I remember a Mr. Frost, who called to 
see the woman who raised me, after my mother disappeared. I 
was little then, and do not know the year exact, yet I know by * 
other incidents, that it was within the years of 1864, 1865, 1866, 
when a Mr. Frost I knew and recognized, came several times 
to the old house by the Napa river, and signed some papers 
Laura handed him, then disappeared from my sight. This was 
the last I saw or heard of him. If you ever knew the man, I 
think you will remember him by my description. I described 
the Mr. Frost who is described in SKETCH 1. 

“That is one of the Frost brothers who lived on the Stanis¬ 
laus river, who Leonard Manuel used to visit with," said Mr. 
Childs. “You must have known Leonard Manuel; and I certainly 
believe if Leonard Manuel had a daughter, you are that daughter, 
or Leonard Manuel was your uncle. You must have lived with 
Leonard Manuel, to have known and remembered from so small 
a child, his associate, the Frost brother. Alvisa Haywards was 
also an associate of the same Leonard Manuel now I remember, 
when I knew him on the Fresno plains, in 1858. Alvisa Haywards 
is a capitalist, and is well known in California. There ought to 
have been a bank account to Leonard Manuel's credit, before and 
after the cattle were sold, that he was the owner of. They were 
worth considerable money without counting anything else that 
belonged to Leonard Manuel at the time of his murder, that 
was at some date I cannot now remember, between 1864 and 
1865. Nothing was said in the San Francisco newspaper from 
which I read an account of his murder, as to the cause or who 
was guilty of the crime, that I have any recollection of.” 

“Did you ever know, or hear of any one or more persons 
going by the surname of Freeman, when you knew Leonard 
Manuel on the Fresno plains?" I inquired of Mr. Childs. 

“I did know one, Bill Freeman," said Mr. Childs. 

“What kind of a reputation did he have there, and did you 
ever see or hear of him being with or talking to Leonard Manuel 
when Leonard Manuel was on the Fresno plains?" I asked Mr. 

Childs. 

“Yes, I did,” Mr. Childs said. “This Bill Freeman 1 knew 
on the plains, had the reputation of being a doubtful kind of a 
character, with no visible means of support, and I have seen him 


346 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


myself, hanging around Leonard Manuel’s camp and have seen 
him talk to Leonard Manuel, when they were on the plains.” 

Mr. Samuel W. Childs was elderly, feeble, and in poor health 
when we talked to him, and this was all the definite information 
we could obtain from him in regards to Leonard Manuel. Mr. 
Childs also explained much, if not all, to the Hon. J. D. Mc- 
Conkey, Justice of the Peace, of Lewiston, Nez Perce County, 
State of Idaho, and swore to an Affidavit for us, that was wit¬ 
nessed by Hon. J. D. McConkey. No.’s 47 and 48. 

I think it was during the year 1901—I am not positive of the 
year exact—when ex-Congressman James W. Reed, stopped on 
Snake River Ave. a few minutes, because he was going to pre¬ 
pare for a banquet at the Masonic Temple that evening. 

“Take my advise and don t go, Mr. Reed, I said. \ou have 
aided me in obtaining Court Records from California that shows 
guilt of dangerous criminals, and I believe you are going to run 
the risk of your life, if you are not careful about how and where 
you eat. I cannot show you proof of all I tell you now, but that 
does not prevent my knowing that you are running a risk by 

eating or drinking at any banquet, for the time being. If you eat 

at that Masonic Banquet tonight, I am afraid it will be the last 

of you.” 

“There is not the least danger, Mrs. King. I am a brother 

Mason, and they will be expecting me tonight, where I am an¬ 

ticipating an enjoyable time. You do not understand Masonic 
obligations. There will no harm come to me from them, what¬ 
ever danger I might he in elsewhere." 

Very much to our regret, it was openly reported by 7 o’clock 
the following morning, that ex-Congressman James W. Reed, 
perished that night from poison, placed in his food or drink, at 
the Masonic banquet; and we have never heard this report dis¬ 
puted, or that any other person was poisoned at the same banquet. 

I saw by our correspondence, newspaper accounts, etc., that 
members of my said relatives added, dropped and changed letters 
and initials in their names as they saw fit, and I did some in¬ 
quiring, to find out who the family of Coburns were, who lived 
in the house located where the man disappeared who entered our 
house on Snake River Ave., feigned drunkenness, whom Mr. 
King chased down Snake River Ave., in hopes of overtaking and 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


347 


turning over to the Officers of the Law. From these inquiries, 

I was informed by old-timers of Lewiston, that Mr. C. P. Coburn, 
then a Justice of the Peace, of Lewiston, Idaho, came to Lewis¬ 
ton in 1865; that the same Mr. Coburn had two brothers living 
in California, one of them a resident of Ukiah, Mendocino County, 
California; that the same Mr. Coburn married a Mrs. French, 
whose given name was Susan; that when the same Mr. Coburn 
first came to Lewiston, he spelled his name Colburn; but latei 
dropped the 1 out of his name and spelled it Coburn. Mr. King 
knew them by name and sight in Lewiston, some time before I 
saw or heard of any Coburns living in Lewiston, without any 
suspicion that they knew or were related in any way to my gang. 

I saw and recognized two of these Coburns of Lewiston, whom 1 
remembered I had seen when a small school gill in Napa City , 
namely, Albert and Horatio, whom my said step-father, Henry 
S. Colburn, told me in Napa, California, were his nephews. They 
were said to be sons of C. P. Coburn, of Lewiston, Idaho; which 
connects them with my true story. 

According to the population as given, North Troy, of Or¬ 
leans County, and Richford, of Franklin County, State of Ver¬ 
mont, are old and small towns, where some families have been 
known in their generations. It should not thetefoie, be difficult 
to trace and give a straight account of one’s relatives who had 
been residents in a town like North Tioy, of several generations, 
that No. 18 represents the said G. W. Manuel (one of the four), 
of 678 Fourteenth and Castro streets, Oakland, California, to be 
from; which should be taken into consideration, when reading 
No.’s’ 34, 35, 36, 39, 40, 41, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 

55, 61. 

When we had read No.’s 39, 40, 41, 45, that were handed to 
Mr. King from the Lewiston Postoffice, I declared to him: 

“Jim, it appears very much to me now, as though my gang- 
have contrived to intercept our letters, or get some one to do it 
for them, and are composing answers to our letters addressed 
to C. C. Manuel, Richford, Franklin County, Vermont, as they 
think necessary to deceive and baffle us in obtaining true in¬ 
formation and evidence against them. these letteis do not 
sound to me like the composition of the persons who dictated 
and wrote the first, and I am thinking, the only letter we have 


348 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


yet received from C. C. Manuel, of Richofrd, Vermont. Some of 
their contents are mean, insulting, and are not like letters 
written about missing relatives; particularly one like me, after 
what I have told and explained to them. That letter signed 
John Young, pretending to be written in the interest of C. C. 
Manuel, of Vermont, is using the argument of “hallucination ’ 
against me, representing that I am a resident of Omaha, to con¬ 
ceal my whereabouts, and to discourage us from making any 
further search for the missing David, Chandler and Leonard 
Manuel brothers, and the land and property they owned. This 
would be to the interest of the four said Manuels of California, 
and their gang. And what did I ever write in any of my letters 
to C. C. Manuel of Vermont, to give him or any intelligent 
Attorney, the impression that I am bug-house? That letter 
signed John Young, sounds to me like such an argument as the 
gang would dictate against me for their defense, to prevent us 
from getting aid or evidence against them.” 

“Ditto!” Mr King shouted. “It wouldn’t surprise me, if you 
keep on writing letters addressed to C. C. Manuel, Richford, Ver¬ 
mont, to see you get a letter with the same man’s name signed 
to it, saying Dave and George were back in North Troy, going 
to school. I think it will pay us to keep up the correspondence 
until we get something more definite as to who is responsible 
for intercepting our letters addressed to C. C. Manuel and re¬ 
turning answers with his name signed to them.” 

And it can be seen by comparing No.’s 46 and 55, that Mr. 
King guessed closely. North Troy is not far from Troy, and in 
the same County and State; though No. 18 says G. W. Manuel 
(who was one of the four said Manuel brothers of California), was 
born and lived in North Troy, Orleans County, Vermont, of an¬ 
cestry of several generations. 

Mr. King had written several letters, that he had addressed 
to officials of Gallatin, Daviess County, Missouri, to find out if 
Chandler and David Manuel brothers lived in Daviess County, 
Missouri, during the '50’s? From these letters he received no an¬ 
swers, and Air. King said: 

“I am going to try a different plan, to see if I can get an 
answer from the Sheriff of Daviess County, Missouri. I feel 
sure according to the circumstances, that David and Chandler 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


349 


Manuel brothers lived in the same County at some time during 
the '50’s, and I believe they owned land there, and the Manuels 
of the four, of California, decoyed Chandler out to Napa, and 
murdered him in Dave’s blacksmith shop, in 1867, to prevent 
his coming against them for the murder of his two brothers, 
Leonard and David, and to get the proceeds of land in Daviess 
County, Missouri, that belonged to two or more of the Manuels 
formerly of North Troy, Vermont; namely, Chandler Sr., and his 
three sons, Chandler Jr., David and Leonard; the last of whom 
the four said Manuel brothers of California, disposed of when 
he came into Dave's blacksmith shop and ‘got the blow on his 
head that felled him to the ground’; from which he never regained 
consciousness to tell who he was. As ‘Chan’ was expected when 
the murder took place, it appears very evident, that Chandler 
Manuel Jr., was the man murdered, who was a stranger in Cali¬ 
fornia. It was only a few weeks after this murder when you 
heard George W. say to Laura: ‘We will send Shaffer and Bar¬ 
nett back, to hold the land for us, and to answer all questions to 
satisfy the public/ Accomplices of the four, of California, Shaf¬ 
fer and Barnett, took possession of land during the ’60’s, that had 
beonged to a David Manuel during the ’50’s; and are yet in pos¬ 
session of it, according to the letters of Webber & Rutherford and 
the letter of John C. Leopard, Prosecuting Attorney of Daviess 
County, Missouri.” No/s 15 and 21. 

Mr. King wrote a letter to the Sheriff of Galatin, Daviess 
County, Missouri, inquiring if brothers named Chandler and 
David Manuel lived there at any time during the TO’s? This 
envelope was placed in another envelope with a special request, 
that the letter be delivered to the Sheriff of that County, which 
outside envelope was sealed and addressed to the “Editor of 
Gallatin Democrat, Daviess County, Missouri.” The answer to 
this letter was No. 49. 

After we read No. 49, Mr. King found a man who said he 
had elderly relatives living in Daviess County, Missouri; that at 
Mr. King’s request he would write them a letter and see if they 
remembered or could find out if there were men living in the 
same County and State at any time during the 50 s, four men, 
namely: Chandler Manuel Sr., and his three sons, Chandler Jr., 


350 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 

David and Leonard; and if any of them owned land there? This 
man gave Mr. King the letter he had received in answer to these 
inquiries, of which No. 50 is the original of all that pertained to 
our inquiry. At my request and dictation, Mr. King answer¬ 
ed No. 49, from which 51 is the answer. Mr. King wrote a 
second letter to William Manuel, from which No. 52 was the 
answer. This was the last letter Mr. King addressed to W llham 
Manuel, Gallatin, Daviess County, Missouri. After this, we both 
talked to a man who informed us that white men by the names 
of Chandler, David and Leonard Manuel, known as brothers, 
had lived in Daviess County, Missouri, during the ’50’s. We 
also talked with another man, who told us that he had heard 
Chandler and David Manuel brothers described and spoken of, 
while they lived in Daviess County, Missouri, during the ’50’s. 

“They were jolly, good-natured men, just such men as make 
friends, who folks liked to talk to,” said one, “And when I re¬ 
turned to Daviess County after the war in 1866, Chandler was 
then getting ready to go to California to meet his brother David, 
who had already gone to California. This was the report among 
Gallatin folks. I never saw or heard of Leonard Manuel, that I 
remember.” 

Both of these men described the Manuels of the ’50’s and 
early part of the Ws, of Daviess County, Missouri, and Cali¬ 
fornia, as such Manuels as I had known and lived with, prior to 
when I was taken by the couple in the old house by the Napa 
river, strangers to me then, who taught me to address them, 
Laura and Dave. The Manuels I knew and missed, were younger 
looking men than Dave and George, two of the four said Manuel 
brothers I knew, and the men who told us about the Manuels of 
the ’50’s of Daviess County, Missouri, said they were young men, 
unmarried, so far as they knew or heard, when in Daviess County; 
that if any of the Manuels during the ’50’s of Daviess County, 
had any wife or child with them, they would very probably have 
heard of it, in a thinly populated place as Daviess County was 
then; that they were white men. 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


351 


WILLIAM MANUEL, DAVIESS COUNTY, MISSOURI. 

I hold a letter and envelope as evidence in my defense, that 
is not copied in this book, to show when inquiries are made by 
letters about the missing Chandler, David and Leonard Mamie 1 
brothers and land they owned in Daviess County, Missouri, that 
Barnett, the County Clerk, withholds this information; which 
may account for my not hearing the names of Chandler and 
Leonard Manuel spoken, after the murder was committed in 
Dave's blacksmith shop in 1867. 

It appears to me, that Charlotte and Dave instructed their 
eldest son William Manuel, in regards to the missing Manuels, 
they and their gang have disposed of, and the land that had 
been owned by the missing Chandler Jr., David and Leonard 
Manuel brothers and their Father, Chandler Manuel Sr., in 
Daviess County, Missouri, and after the last of these four men 
from Missouri, and formerly of Vermont, Chandler Manuel Jr. 
was decoyed out to California expecting to meet at least his 
brother David alive, was directed unsuspectingly into the black¬ 
smith shop of the said D. A. Manuel (one of the four), and there 
treacherously and brutally murdered; which then gave the gang 
access to the land in Daviess County, Missouri, owned by one or 
all, namely: Chandler Manuel Sr., his three sons, Chandler. 
David and Leonard. All three of these brothers having been dis¬ 
posed of by this time in California by the four said Manuel 
brothers and accomplices, they sent accomplices Shaffer and 
Barnett, to Daviess County, Missouri, not many weeks after the 
same murder in 1867, “to hold land for them, to answer all ques¬ 
tions to satisfy the public.” 

The contents of William’s letters show his anxiety, which he 
is endeavoring to conceal, in answering a letter addressed to the 
Sheriff of the same County coming from Mr. King, inquiring 
about Chandler and David Manuel, and his eagerness to have 
Mr. King inquire of no one but himself in regards to them. Ac¬ 
cording to No.’s 34, 35, whoever the person is, representing him¬ 
self to be William Manuel in Gallatin, Daviess County, Missouri, 
is using the names of Manuels named in their genera- 
.tions of Vermont, to represent his father, uncles and 
grandfather, to Mr. King, namely: Charles C. Manuel 


352 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


of Richford, Vermont; Chandler, the given name of one of trie 
three missing Manuel brothers, to represent his father; Wilder 
Manuel, to represent his grandfather; Henry Manuel, to repre¬ 
sent one of his father’s brothers; Leonard Manuel, the name of 
one of the three missing brothers to represent a brother to his 
father and his uncle; and has himself, the name of one of Wilder 
Manuel’s sons, of Vermont. It appears that Mr. King’s inquiry 
of Chandler and David Manuel so far back as 1860, and other 
questions, that he did not, and would not answer, alarmed him. 

William says in No. 52, “I want to be plain.” William says 
in No. 51, there is no doubt about Clias. Chandler and David A. 
Manuel being brothers. Chandler and David both preempted land 
in Daviess County and David A. Manuel sold part of his to Shaf¬ 
fer who you speak of. To impress Mr. King with the understand¬ 
ing that the David and Chandler Manuel brothers who owned land 
in Daviess County during the ’50’s were his relatives and to conceal 
and deceive Mr King in regards to the true identity and relation¬ 
ship of the true owners, according to his own letters and No.’s 
34, 35, and to account for them to Mr. King, William says in No. 
52: “but will say, that in looking over Father’s old letters I find 
a letter written by David Manuel from Napa City, Napa Co., 
California, dated March 1875. In this letter he stated that he 
left Missouri in 1863, and he and his wife had parted and he had 
four children by his first wife, and his first wife had also 
married again; he also mentioned his first wife’s name as Laura 
and he was married when he left here and he is the same David 
Manuel, who sold his property to David Shaffer.” 

William here acknowledges that David A. Manuel and David 
Manuel, are one and the same man, a brother to his father and 
a brother to Chandler, and to be the same man who sold the 
land owned by David Manuel during the ’50’s, a brother to 
Chandler. The David and D. A. Manuel, who sold the land of 
David Manuel to Shaffer, represented by William, living in 
Napa City, California, in 1875, was no other than the husband of 
the woman known as Laura, in Napa City, and later, the husband 
of Charlotte, also known in Napa, and the said father of 
George and Nellie, and the father of Louis and Augustus, and the 
father of William and Fannie. This same man whom William 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


353 


represents as David and D. A. Manuel, was not a white man, 
was a pockmarked man, was known in Napa as one of four 
brothers, could neither read nor write, according to what his wife 
Laura told me, which I saw evidenced, and was no other than 
the said and alleged brother to George (later known as G. W. 
Manuel, of Napa City, and 678 Fourteenth street, Oakland) ; 
Hiram (later known as Hiram C. Manuel, of Sonoma) ; Harrison 
(known in 1867, as a brother to the three preceding brothers, and 
remembered as the man who committed the mysterious murder 
of the stranger in his brother Dave’s blacksmith shop, on a corner 
of Third and Brown streets, Napa City) ; all of California. It is 
plain enough to be seen now, that the same alleged David,' David 
A., David C. Manuel, one of the four, described in the preceding, 
represented to the Courts of Napa County, State of California, 
himself to be the David Manuel, who bought and preempted 
land during the ’50’s, in Daviess County, State of Missouri, de¬ 
scribed in No.’s 15, 21, which land both the same man, his wife 
Laura, and later the same man and his wife Charlotte, deeded 
away and sold to their accomplices whom they sent back “to hold 
the land for them, to answer all questions to satisfy the public,” 
Shaffer and Barnett; which is witnessed by William Manuel, 
one of the gang, No.’s 49, 51, 52, and No. 21. It appears also, 
that their accomplices Shaffer and Barnett, represented the same 
alleged David Manuel, one of the four of California, who deeded 
and sold to them the same land in Daviess County, State of 
Missouri, described in No.’s 15, 21, to be the David Manuel (who 
was a white man) who was the brother of Chandler and Leonard 
Manuel, to people in Daviess County, Missouri, and the same 

David Manuel and his brothers Chandler and Leonard, to be 
• alive at the dates the same land described, was sold; which 
appears from the circumstances and No. 50, .34, 35, and William’s 
letter No. 51, whose relationship he confused with other namse of 
the said Manuels of the four in California and some of the family 
names of Manuels of Vermont, No.’s 34, 35, to conceal the true 
identity and relationship of the David Manuel who owned the 
land in Daviess County, Missouri, during the '50’s, from Mr. 
King. 


354 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


No. 50 is witness that William Manuel tells a different 
story about his Manuel relationship in Gallatin, than he wrote to 
Mr. King, in No.’s 49, 51, 52. To get a true understanding of No. 
50, it must be understood, that Mr. Calbert wrote for us to his 
relatives in Gallatin, Daviess County, Missouri, inquiring of them, 
if Chandler Manuel Sr. and his sons, Chandler Jr., David and 
Leonard, at any time, lived in the same County and State? TTo 
other Manuels were inquired of. Therefore, Chandler Sr., Chand¬ 
ler Jr., David and Leonard, are the Manuels referred to, by Mr. 
and Mrs. Mallory, in their letter to Mr. Calbert, No. 50; which 
can be seen by their answers, when understood. No. 50 says, 
we saw one of David Manuel s sons, W illiam Manuel. He told 
Mr. Mallory quite a good deal in regards to your inquiry. Those 
men all once lived in Daviess County, and Chandler Manuel 
owned land here. He is dead, and his sons live here. Those 
other Manuels are his uncles; one which lives in Oakland, Cali¬ 
fornia, which I believe is Leonard. the one here, is William. 
If you write to him he will give you what information he can. 

To Mr. King, in No. 49, William represents himself to be a 
nephew of David Manuel, and writes, that David Manuel, left 
here some time after 1860, * * * I can not give the exact date 

he left, nor where he went.” 

To Mr. Mallory in Daviess County, Missouri, William is a 
son of David Manuel, and David’s brothers are his uncles; Will¬ 
iam represents to Mr. Mallory, that David’s brother Leonard, is 
alive in Oakland. William acknowledges that Chandler Manuel 
Sr., Chandler Jr., David and Leonard, the men inquired of, all 
once lived in Daviess County, Missouri. There were only three 
brothers of them, and why would the Manuels of the four, be 
claiming them for fathers, uncles and cousins, if there was not 
some plot, crime and.conspiracy about it? The contents of Will¬ 
iam’s letters, are evidence of his guilt, and it appears that William 
represented himself, or was represented to be, a son of Charles A. 
Manuel. William acknowledged to Mr. King in one of his letters, 
that G. W. Manuel of Oakland, California (one of the four), was 
his uncle, and therefore, William did not give the full list of his 
uncles, as they are known in California. It can be seen also from 
No. 54, that the said Hiram C. Manuel (one of the four), is claim- 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


355 


ing to be a brother to Leonard Manuel, one of the missing and 
murdered brothers, claiming to be of the Manuels of Vermont, as 
also William is representing himself to be. 

No. 55, was so baffling, insulting and aggriviting to the 
Attorney Charles L. McDonald, in view of the letter he wrote, 
that he gave up our case, saying that we could have the letter 
if we thought it would be any good to us; that it was too mean 
a plot and too much tangled, for him to try to do anything with, 
without more means than he possessed. 

We wrote many letters to places where some one or more of 
my said Manuel relatives lived, to the effect: If there was any 
land owned by any one by the surname of Manuel, between the 
years of 1857 and 1866? If so, to please write the full name or 
names of the persons on record; or, was there any land or prop¬ 
erty on record in the name of David, or David A. Manuel, between 
1857 and 1867? These letters were mailed at the Lewiston Post- 
office. No answers of these inquiries came to us from Napa, 
Sonoma, Tulare, San Joaquin, San Francisco Counties, California; 
and as a result of an inquiry of this kind, came No.’s 22 and 23. 
These were the best results we could get from Fresno County, 
California, of this kind. To mention the name of Leonard Man¬ 
uel, after he had been openly advertised in any San Francisco 
newspaper to have been murdered, we thought might interfere 
with our finding the gang in possession of his land, or finding 
out other information we thought ought to be on record in some 
of the preceding named Counties. To get any more information 
through the Lewiston Postoffice about Chandler, David, or 
Leonard Manuel, or the Manuels of Vermont, named in No.’s 
34, 35, through the Lewiston Postoffice, was appearing now to 
be hopeless, and we quit—quit the Lewiston Postoffice—quit 
other Postoffices in the surrounding vicinity, after the said 
Hiram C. Manuel’s letter reached us “in haist.” (one of the four 
—a sign of the gang.) 

SKETCH 38. 

SOME ACCUNTS OF OUR TRIP IN BRIEF TO 

CALIFORNIA. 

Attorneys advised us to proceed to California; saying they 
thought with our explanations and evidence, that any Court of 


356 


LINKS OF MYSTE1RY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


California ought to recognize that we had a case against my 
said Manuels of the four. We arrived safely in San Francisco, 
California, the 30th of May, 1903; where we rented housekeeping 
rooms, and the day after our arrival, proceeded to John Cuitain s 
Detective Agency and had a talk with Mr. Bolanger, the General 
Manager, who agreed after reading some of our evidence, that we 
had a case on the Manuels of the four, and there was all to indi¬ 
cate that I was the true heir to land and property, they and their 
accomplices had in their possession, or had had the benefit of, 
and that he would take our case on a contingent fee, if we would 
give him a week to see if he could find any definite Records that 
would establish me as the true heir to property in their possession 
beyond any question or doubt; to which we agreed, as this was 
the only consideration by which we could induce the detective 
to have anything to do with our case. At the expiration of a 
week’s time, Mr. Bolanger requested us to accompany him to a 
lawyer’s of ice, where he said he would like to get the opinion 
of the lawyer on some law points, before drawing up any agiee- 
ment to proceed further on our case. Mr. Bolanger took us to a 
prosperous apparently, and swell office, where he introduced 
us to the prominent Attorney Mr. Countryman. I recognized the 
name. I had heard it when a small girl, when I practiced run¬ 
ning up and down the Napa river, that stirred up my recollections 
for the time being, to the wail of distress and grief that called 
my name from the Napa river; and I was in the most unfavorable 
mood to listen to the proposition that was ready for us, from the 
detective and Mr. Countryman, the prominent Attorney. Mr. 
Countryman told me that he lived in Napa County when a small 
boy, and his parents had lived there. There were only four of us 
in the room that were visible, but it must be taken into considera¬ 
tion that Attorneys and detectives of Mr. Countryman and Mr. 
Bolanger’s practice, experience, and prominence, are very apt to 

be prepared against whatever might be said and told in their 
private interviews, consultations, and propositions, and I will, 
therefore, relate no more in explanation, than to announce, that 
during this supposed private interview, when I had expressed 
some small amount of my opinion about the proposition advanced 
to me that I had not expected, I said: 


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“Gentlemen, our business is ended, so far as Mr. King or I 
have any more to say. Please understand that I have no evidence 
for sale—at any price! Come, Jim, this is no place for us!” 

As we were going through the doorway, Mr. Countryman 
said: “Mrs. King, I admire your character.” 

Mr. King and I were much disappointed with our termination 
with the detective, who gave us no information or hint about 
what he had found on record; though from the proposition made, 
we thought he must have found some positive evidence on 
record, that I was heir to money or property, somewhere. We 
decided to go to Napa City, and at day-break the morning of 
our departure, we felt such a shock of earthquake, that we hurried 
to the windows and saw people running frightened into the street. 

“Hurry, Jim!” I said, “Let us get out of this place to a 
firmer foundation. We can go to Oakland and wait for the 
afternoon train to Napa, and while there, I will introduce you to 
several who will tell you that I am the real Nellie Manuel I have 
told you about, who used to be an employe at the Pacific Press; 
and we will walk two blocks further, where you can take a look 
at the residence of the late G. W. Manuel, who deprived me of my 
father.” 

We were soon ready, and departed from San Francisco very 
early in the morning to Oakland, where my promise was carried 
out, and more. We went in the railway train from Oakland, the 
same Sunday afternoon, and arrived in Napa City in the even¬ 
ing, June 12th, 1903, where we went to a hotel. Monday fore¬ 
noon, we went to the Court House, where I was recognized by 
Recorder Deweese, Deputy County Clerk George Lawrence, and 
others in the Court House, to be the same Nellie Manuel, they 
knew in Napa, prior to when I left there in 1876; to whom I intro¬ 
duced Mr. King. We met and had a talk with Deputy County 
Clerk, N. W. Collins, who told Deputy Lawrence that he could at¬ 
tend to the Records for us, then withdrew. We were not pei- 
mitted to go into the vault to handle or search for any records 
ourselves, and could only see such evidence as the Deputy would 
hand us. All records I asked to see prior to the years of 1868, 
some of the same year and some of later date, I was told by the 
Deputy, might be in the Court House, but if they were, that he 
could only show us such Records from the vault, as were in their 

( 12 ) 


358 LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 

proper places. It can be seen, that this excluded me from finding' 
the evidence that we were in search of, in regards to finding trace 
of any land owned by the missing David and Leonard Manuel, 
any and all that might have been willed to me from them or my 
grandfather, Chandler Manuel Sr., or any proof from the Records 
of Napa County, that I was related to them. Deputy Lawrence 
told us that Records revealing the true identity of heirs to pro¬ 
perty or lands, were sometimes kept among other Records out of 
their proper places, and thereby concealed; and advised us to pro¬ 
cure some attorney we thought could be trusted, to search the 
Records for us. Mr. King was angry about the matter, but I 
advised him to give the officials of Napa no chance at us, under 
any circumstance, saying: 

“Jim, my uncle Chandler, my mother, I belive without any 
doubt were murdered here, and how many more of my relatives, 
is a question; and it is better for us not to stay here any longer 
than necessary. This is how I feel about it.” 

Deputy George Lawrence showed us Records of the Court 
House of Napa County, evidence that the lands described in 
No/s 15 and 21, were on Record as the property of David and 
David A. Manuel (one of the four), and his wife Laura C.; and 
that the lands described in Daviess County, Missouri, were 
deeded and sold, according to No. 21. We asked to see the 
Marriage Certificate produced in evidence of the marriage, dur¬ 
ing the divorce proceedings of Dave and Laura. 

“There was no marriage certificate produced, or any other 
evidence of their marriage," said Deputy Lawrence. Dave’s 
brother George, got up and took an oath that he was present at 
their marriage, and the Court let it go at that.” 

Deputy Lawrence showed us Records, that evidenced that the 
contents of No. 20, was on Record in the Napa County Court 
House, without any evidence produced that they were who they 
represented themselves to be, or that they were ever married in 
McHenry County, Illinois—no more than the say of G. W. 
Manuel, their aid in their plot and conspiracy of perjury and 
crime. 

Tuesday, we had a lengthy and earnest argument with the 
District Attorney, Raymond Benjamin, who represented to us, 
that because of his youth and inexperience, that he ought not :o 


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359 


take up such a complicated case as ours without the aid of some 
other Attorney and the consent of the County Commissioners, 
who would not meet for about six months. Through our request 
and persistent arguments, he told us he would look over some 
Court Recorads and see what he could find there, hearing on what 
I had related to him, and asked us to call on him Thursday after¬ 
noon. 

Wednesday, we went to view the Napa river and the old 
house where 1 lost My Mother, or, the woman I loved, missed 
and mourned for, as I never did any other. We took a walk 
around the three-cornered block, that was then filled with houses 
-that I was taught, belonged to my said uncle, the said G. W. 
Manuel and his wife Lucy, during my existence with Laura in 
Napa, California. We also hunted for people who knew about 
the murder in Dave's blacksmith shop, in 1867, to whom I intro¬ 
duced Mr. King; from whom we gathered information from per¬ 
sons reliable, that the same murdered man was a stranger, was 
dressed in overalls, with his skull crushed, and unconscious, when 
he was brought to Frank Rainey’s Hotel, across the sthreet from 
the blacksmith shop of D. A. Manuel; that the same fatally ’n- 
jured, was a young-looking man, white man, full-faced, having 
no appearance of being an Irishman, or from his hands, one who 
was accustomed to doing any kind of hard physical labor; that 
the same man was moved from Frank Rainey’s Hotel, where he 
died the same night without regaining consciousness, from the 
most brutal kind of a blow on his head, and was. buried in the 
Napa Cemetery as, “The Unknown,” People we talked to, cor- 
i oberated much that 1 had told Mr. King about my said Manuel 
relatives, who were well known as residents of Napa, and told us 
to the effect: 

“We never did think Nellie was any relation to any of them, 
and do not see how any intelligent person could think so. It 
always has been the talk here, that there was some mystery 
about her being with them, and about the murder committed in 
the blacksmith shop; and now that you have given us some expla¬ 
nation of it, no one could change our opinion.” 

yy e asked for a copy of the warrant for the arrest of the said 
Harrison Manuel, the accused of the murder in his brother Daves 
blacksmith shop in 1867, which we were told was somewhere in 


360 


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the Court House—they thought was somewhere in the Cupola 
that would require days and maybe weeks to find. 

We called at a newspaper office in Napa City and asked to 
look over old files of the paper; to which the proprietor politely 
and readily gave his consent; our object being to find items abouj: 
my said relatives, when they were residents of Napa City, that 
they were so careful to conceal from my knowledge; particularly, 
items in regards to the murder of 1867. To our surprise, the old 
files were literally cut to pieces from clippings that had been 
taken from them, and we found no mention of any of my said 
relatives that I knew, or the murder committed in Dave's black¬ 
smith shop in 1867; though we were surprised to find how gener¬ 
ally the same murder was known, and how well it had been re¬ 
membered by the residents of Napa. 

We called on the District Attorney Raymond Benjamin, again 
Thursday, p. m.; who told us there were other links in our case 
that we ought to have, and that from what he had found on the 
Records of Napa Court Houre, could be supplied, he thought, 
from the Fresno Court House; said they were valuable to us, and 
we needed them to complete our evidence; advised us to go 
there and get them. I thought of the experience we had had, 
about seeing or getting any copies of Records from the Napa 
Court House, and told Mr. Benjamin I was doubtful that the 
Fresno officials would either allow us to see the Records we 
would expect were there, or let us have copies of them; but the 
Dstrict Attorney said he had a relative by marriage living there, 
who was Mr. Frank Short, an able attorney, who could, and 
would, he had no doubts, supply them for us, with a letter from 
him; and that he would write us a letter of introduction and ex¬ 
planation to carry with us to the same gentleman, on our arrival 
in Fresno. Seeing no prospect of our learning anything more de¬ 
finite from Mr. Benjamin in regards to what he had found on 
records in our favor more than the preceding, and our remaining 
in Napa to find out if the County Commissioners would consent 
to his taking action on our case, being out of all consideration 
with us, the District Attorney’s apparent anxiety to have us 
depart from Napa, we consented to accept the letter from him 
and try Fresno; hoping we would be more successful in Fresno, 
than we had been in Napa. No. 62 is a copy of the wording and 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


361 


spelling of the letter the District Attorney, Raymond Benjamin, 
wrote in his own handwriting for ns: 

No. 62. 

RAYMOND BENJAMIN 
District Attorney 

Court House, Napa Cal., June 16, 1903 
Hon Frank H. Short 
Fresno, Cal, 

My dear Sir :— 

This will introduce to you Mr. & Mrs James W. King. They 
have related to me an exceedingly strange and interesting story 
and have with them many convincing proofs of the truth of the 
story. 1 recommend their story to your consideration. Some 
extensive property rights are involved, as well as the names of 
many people. 

I shall be pleased to assist you in investigating this matter. 
I have advised them that in the present state of their evidence— 
with so many links as yet unsecured I could not act upon the 
criminal phase of the case.—yet it must be that these links could 
be supplied. 

I direct them to your attention not only for the fact that 
much of the property and some of the people are in your vicinity, 
but also by reason of our distant relationship through marriage, 
my wife being a daughter of G. M. Francis of this City. 

After you have heard their story and considered the letters 
and papers they have, I would like to hear from you, for I am 
much interested in their history.—There are some records on file 
here that bear to a certain extent upon the case, and I shall be 
glad to furnish them to you if you desire. 

Very Truly Yours, 

Raymond Benjamin 

We embarked on the Steamer “Zinfandel,” a Napa rivei 
steamer, in the evening of June 16th, 1903, where we were 
pleasantly entertained by young Captain V ullf, until late in the 
evening; arriving in San Francisco the following morning. 

It was at, or near the hour of 5 p. m., June 17th, 1903, when 
we went aboard the Steamer Onisbo at San Francisco, for 
Stockton. On this occasion we brought a lunch aboard, fearing 
we might be poisoned if we ate supper on the Steamer. We both 
felt gloomy on account of our danger, though we tried to keep 
up our courage. 

I explained to Mr. King: 


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LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


“I believe the gang' would be fiendish enough to attempt to 
wreck this steamer we are on tonight and run the lisk of de¬ 
stroying all on board, to get rid of us, if they thought they could 
accomplish it without getting caught, or the crime being tiaced to 
them. They must know by this time that we are openly accusing 
them of murder, wherever we go. They know I would not do this 
without reasons and evidence, and they have done me too much 
wrong—besides the murder of my parents, to think of there being 
any chance of compromising the case with me. I hose guilty of 
murder, no doubt, would take their own lives before they would 
face a Court with the kind of a case we have against them, though 
they might work some deception to make it appear they die, 
should we attempt to have any one of them arrested. To get 
any one of them arrested and into Court, will be where we wil 1 
win out, if there is any justice done. They know they are guilty, 
and might take chances to destroy this boat. 

“I think we will get through all right,” Mr. King said. “It 
is not such an easy matter to wreck a Steamer, as you may 
imagine. Cheer up and think of the good prospects we have of 
putting a stop to their persecution and attempting our lives con¬ 
tinuously. That is what you want to think about. 

“I think we had better walk around on deck awbile,” I said, 
“I feel too wrestless to go inside now.” 

We walked the decks keeping a lookout until dark and chilly. 
Mr. King said he thought it would be better to go in the social 
hall a little while, where it was warm. There were more than a 
dozen of the passengers in the social hall where we took seats. 
As I sat thinking, thoughts came to my mind as forcible, as 
thohgh some person was arguing and urging me to warn the 
passengers about the sinking of the Steamer. It frightened me 
to think about it, and I dreaded to tell them; though it seemed 
I could resist no longer, and I addressed the passengers to the 
effect: 

'‘Ladies and gentlemen, I very much regret to notify you, 
that my husband and I are on our way to southern California, to 
inform on people who for years have carried on crime. I am 
strongly impressed that a movement is now in progress to sink 
this Steamer and destroy all on board, for the ostensible purpose 
of destroying my husband and myself, to prevent us from reachnig 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


363 


our destination and to destroy evidence, they probably think we 
have with us. They would be guilty of attempting it, if they 
could accomplish their purpose, without getting caught or having 
the crime traced to them. In case there is anything going on of 
this kind, which I hope is not the case, we might save ourselves 
or avert the calamity, by keeping a lookout and not any of us 
taking off clothing.” 

1 saw the passengers leaving the social hall, one by one. 
Before they had all gone, Mr. King looking pale, excited, said: 

“Let us go into the after cabin.” 

We were the only occupants there, and Mr. King laid down 
on a seat to rest, while I sat on guard. We were like two 
awaiting a death-trap, having very little to say. It was near the 
hour of midnight; we were then at, or near the Suisun Bay. The 
depth of the water under us, according to reports, was 120 feet. 
It did not seem to me that our time in the after cabin could have 
exceeded fifteen minutes, when the severe jolt of the Steamer 
Onisbo, told us to our horror, that she had struch. Mr. King 
sprang out of his seat, rushed to the door and took a quick look¬ 
out, immediately retacing his steps to where I was sitting like one 
stunned without moving, when he barely escaped from being 
killed by a heavy water cooler falling from its place to the floor. 
Mr. King had no more than escaped, when the Steward of the 
Onisbo, pale and wild-eyed, came hurrying through, calling out: 

“Go forward and get on life preservers! No time to lose! 
The Steamer is going down!” 

Hurrying forward, we found passengers collected, other 
collecting rapidly midship. It was a cruel and trying ordeal for 
us all. The crying, screaming and excitement of the passengers, 
was awful to listen to. There were calls for the life boats. 

“They are full of cracks and cannot be used!” came repeated 
shouts. Put on life preservers!” others called, “Be quick about it 
—the Steamer is sinking!’ 

Men were coming up stairs from the freight deck calling out: 
“She is filling with water!” 

Amid the excitement, Mr. King and I were excitedly con¬ 
tending about life preservers, as to which one should first put 
on a life preserver. “Let me put your life preserver on first,” 
said Mr. King. 


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LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


“I must see one on you first/’ I said, “If you are to perish, 

I must go with you! It will be better for me. 

“Let me put yours on first!" he said/ “There s time enough 
to get mine on, when I see yours on! ’ 

When the consternation was at its height, and we were ex¬ 
pecting any minute to take to water, cries rang out: 

“Don't be frightened! We think we can beach her before 

she goes down!" 

This quieted the passengers to some ertent, and we soon felt 
the “Onisbo” touch the rocks beneath us. 

All that saved the Steamer from sinking in deep water was 
that the tide was at its heighth, and the Steamer near a reef of 
rocks that ran out from shore, that was covered with water at 
high tide. As the tide receded, we could hear and feel the loud 
crashing of the Steamer settling down on the reef. 

The passengers forward, said they saw the steamer running- 
full speed towards an iron ship, that was anchored; that they 
warned the Pilot, but no response came from their cries of warn¬ 
ing:; that they saw the Onisbo crash into the same ship, which 
broke a hole in her bow; that they ran to the Pilot house, found 
the pilot wheel securely tied with a rope, and the Pilot gone; 
which was evidence enough that the sinking of the steamer had 
been premeditated and planned. The Captain, they said, was the 
one who saved us all, by losing no time to dress, his presence 
of mind and skill. The passengers were excited and angry at the 
wrecking of the steamer, and taking it as a matter of course, 
that the Pilot was the person responsible for the wreck, searched 
the Steamer thoroughly to find the Pilot; but the Pilot was not to 
be found, anywhere about the Steamer, was their report. 

While in the after cabin, before the Onisbo struck, Mr. King 
and I heard light walking above our heads on the hurricane deck, 
followed by a splash in the water. Soon after we heard the splash 
in the water, we felt the jolt of the steamer when she struck, that 
we learned was caused by her striking an iron ship at anchor in 
the bay. It was a dark night—too dark to see the object that 
caused the splash. P>y the use of lanterns, a roadway of plank¬ 
ing and whatever the Steamer afforded, was prepared over the 
rocks, on which the passengers walked aided one by one, from the 
wrecked Onisbo to shore. We were all, I think, thankful to the 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


365 


Captain for our rescue, but the passengers were angry and- did 
considerable talking about the murderous plot to destroy all on 
board, by sinking the Steamer; that took place not far from 
where the said Hiram C. Manuel lived at Sonoma, and Sonoma 
Landing. From the wreck the passengers had between two and 
three miles to walk to the town of Benicia, to board another 
Steamer to Stockton. During this walk, the Captain of the 
wrecked Onisbo was our special escort and company, whose ac¬ 
count of the wreck to us was in brief, as follows: 

"I left the Pilot at the wheel, and retired to bed,” said the 
Captain. “I was asleep, when I felt the jolt of the Steamer, that 
woke me instantly, when I knew by the feeling that we had 
struck, and I ran to the Pilot wheel without stopping for any 
other clothes. I found the Pilot gone, and the wheel securely 
tied, that I cut loose with an ax. I saw that the Steamer was out 
of her course; that we were near the shore, where I knew was a 
reef, that was covered at high tide, and to our good luck, the 
tide was at its height. By presence of mind and careful man¬ 
agement, 1 succeeded in getting her onto the reef, before the 
water was too deep in her. This was what saved us, and you 
know what followed.” 

The Captain appeared to be very much distressed over the 
whole affair, and often repeated to us during this walk: 

“How sorry, sorry I feel about this afair. How I do hate 
to report to the Company, and tell them the Steamer is wrecked!" 

When we were gathered at the depot at Benicia, the Captain 
of the Onisbo acknowledged that the Steamer was sunk because 
I was on board of her, and calling the attention of the passengers 
to me, addressed them: 

“This lady has more cause to complain than any of us, yet 
she has complained the least; has regarded my feelings, and both 
her and her husband, have treated me with respect; for which I 
acknowledge my thanks." 

When we went aboard the Steamer, The pride of the River, 
from Benicia to Stockton, Mr. King and I were ignored by the 
crew of this steamer. Civilities extended to whites, browns and 
Chinamen, were not extended to us. When the officers of the 
same steamer and newspaper reporters interviewed the passen¬ 
gers about the wrecking of the Onisbo, neither Mr. King nor I 


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were spoken to by them ,and were completely ignoied by them, 
and so far as we could learn, our names did not appeal among 
the list of passengers published in the Stockton newspapers. We 
have never read nor heard, whether the Pilot of the Onisbo was 
ever found; and have since wondered, if the perpetrators of the 
wreck of the Onisbo were assassins, who struck the Pilot a blow 
on the head, causing insensibility, and threw him overboard, to 
perish in the water? 

We remained in Stockton from two to three days, to get 
composed, before proceeding to Fresno. While in Stockton, we 
called to see and have an interview with Mr. T. H. Manuel, of 
414 E. Main Street, from whom was Letter No. 28. Neither of 
us ever saw the same Mr. Manuel at any other time, that we know 
of, who had the appearance to us, of being from some dark race 
of people, either Portuguese or Mexican; and as I was in search 
of relatives when we sent letters to Mr. T. H. Manuel, our inter¬ 
view was brief. 

SKETCH 39. 

FRESNO, FRESNO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA. 

We arrived without any more difficulty, safely in Fresno, 
June 21st, 1903; where we soon got busy. To give a complete 
account of our doings, experiences, etc., in Fresno, would require 
an extra book. I will, therefore, be brief, and relate no more than 
necessary to connect the links of mystery in my true story, and 
the results of our efforts to bring out our case in Fresno, Cali¬ 
fornia. 

We met people in Fresno, who identified and recognized me 
to be the same Nellie Manuel they had known in Fresno, com¬ 
positor for The Fresno Republican, prior to 1886 They ex¬ 
pressed much surprise at seeing me alive again after so many 
years, believing me to have died a short time after I left Fresno 
in 1885, as they told me I had been reported dead. People of 
Fresno informed both Mr. King and I, that Mrs. L. C. Colburn, 
her husband Henry S. Colburn, George S. Manuel, Louis Manuel 
and Augustus Manuel, were yet alive; that Mr. and Mrs. Col¬ 
burn and Louis Manuel, were yet living on a corner of L and 
Merced streets; that Daisy Mitchell, George S. Manuel’s step¬ 
daughter, owned several houses and lots across the street from 
Mrs. L. C. Colburn, and was then living in one of her houses; 


LINICS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


3 67 


that Augustus Manuel was also living in Fresno City with his 
wife and children,in his own residence. George S. Manuel, they 
said, sometimes visited his step-daughter and relatives on L and 
Merced streets, but his place of residence was unknown to them. 
In regards to Geneva Colburn, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Col¬ 
burn, the general report brought us by people who had known her, 
was that she was dead; had married a man by the name of Al. 
Anderson, and had left one child, that was living with her mother. 

Geneva Colburn, they said, had been raised in idleness, ex¬ 
travagance and luxury; had saddle horses, horses and buggy, and 
though Geneva could not sing a tune, had no ability as a musi¬ 
cian of any kind, her mother had bought a piano for her; had 
sent her to dancing school, to try to make a dancer out of her, 
and Geneva was a failure as a dancer. The open report in Fresno 
was, that Geneva Anderson (who was Laura’s only beloved 
daughter) led such a life of debauchery, that it was thought to 
have been the cause of her early death. 

When Mr. King saw Louis and Augustus Manuel, my said 
brothers and inquired about them, he said I had never misrepre¬ 
sented them to him in the least. From all I could gather from 
reports in Fresno, Louis Manuel’s civil engineering, was mostly 
a farce advertisement; that neither Louis nor Gus grew weary 
working to earn money, or had amassed any property as business 
men or shrewd speculators, by their own ability or efforts; which 
reports were correct, as 1 saw them and had known them. 

We were told by citizens of Fresno, that Mr. M. J. Church 
and wife were dead; that George E. Church, said to be a cousin 
of M. J. Church, was then Superior Judge, in the Court Flouse of 
Fresno, Fresno County; that M. J. Church (deceased) had other 
cousins, attorneys, and some studying to be attorneys, in Fresno, 
that his sons and daughters, grand-sons and grand-daughters, 
relatives, and relatives by marriage, were alive and many, in 
Fresno County. It all appeared evident enough to convince the 
skeptical, from the circumstances, what we could observe with 
our own eyes, with what others told us, that Mrs. L. C. Colburn, 
of L and Merced streets, had been a liberal provider with money 
and property for her son-in-law Al. Anderson, her sons and 
families, as well, during my reparted-dead absence of years, from 
Fresno. We found the gang in a flourishing condition in Fresno. 


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LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


I did not need any letter of introduction to the attorney 
Frank Short; his brother was J. W. Short, Editor of “The Fresno 
Republican, when I resided with Mrs. L. C. Colburn, on the cor¬ 
ner of L and Merced streets, near where the old well and its 
secrets had been covered so many years. Mr. J. W. Short was 
now the Fresno City Postmaster, and I knew his brother prior to 
when I left Fresno in 1885. True to my promise, I called and 
had an interview with Attorney Frank Short, who greeted me 
friendly, but the gentleman was so firm in his refusal to pro¬ 
cure any certified copies of Records from the Fresno Court 
House for me on my case, from my first mention of the subject to 
him, that I thought I might need the letter of introduction from 
his relative, the District Attorney of Napa, and reserved it as 
evidence. 

It was a necessity with us to keep up our expenses while in 
Fresno, and Mr. King was very anxious to find some kind of 
an occupation where he could safely get acquainted and talk to 
Fresno people in general, about the murder phase of our case; 
and to thoroughly convince them that we had a case against my 
said Manuel relatives of Fresno. When a resident of Fresno prior 
to 1886, I had some acquaintance with Mr. George Pickford, who 
I always heard spoken of as an industrious, honest and reliable 
young man; who was now a proprietor with Mr. George Kohler 
of Fresno, in the largest and most general restaurant of Fresno 
City. From Mr. King’s experience and capabilities as a Steamer 
Steward, and other capabilities, I thought, perhaps, we might 
make arrangements with the same proprietors, to let Mr. King- 
have a place in their restaurant. This, I thought, would be the 
safest and best for Mr. King’s purposes in Fresno. Mr. Pick- 
ford greeted me friendly when we met, whom I introduced to 
Mr. King. For old-time's sake, I said to Mr. Pickford. I had 
called to ask him to do me a friend’s favor. We three had a social 
talk, and Mr. Pickford invited Mr. King to come to his restaurant 

the morning following, take items and get his hand in. After 

several days’ experience in the restaurant, Mr. Pickford said he 
would like to take a trip away from Fresno for a change of 

climate and health, and put Mr. King in his place. Mr. King 

made acquaintances and friends, and became popular in the 
restaurant business in Fresno City. 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


369 


A week or two after our arrival in Fresno City, I hunted for 
and found an attorney, who had been recommended to us for 
truthfulness, and found him. In fact, I had sent him a letter 
in advance. I will relate some brief amount of our interview, 
to show the collecting links of mystery and their unveiling, in 
my true story. 

Said the Attorney: “You say your relatives on L and Merced 
streets have defrauded you out of that property they are living 
on. Mrs. Colburn is your mother, is she not?” 

“She took an oath to that effect in Court,” I replied. 

Said the Attorney: “I know that property on L and Merced 
streets where she is living, was in the name of Manuel, way back, 
years ago, and Mrs. L. C. Colburn was married to a Manuel 
before'she was married to Henry S. Colburn, was she not?” 

“She was known as Mrs. Manuel, before she married Henry 
S. Colburn,” I replied. 

Said the Attorney: “Your brothers have the name of Manuel, 
and the property was in the name of a Manuel back years ago, 
and has passed down from one member of the family to another. 
Your mother and brothers are living on the same property; how 
then do you claim they have defrauded you out of it?” 

“Well, are you not mistaken about that property having been 
in the name of a Manuel, before her marriage to Henry S. Col¬ 
burn?” I inquired. 

Said the Attorney: ‘No, I am not mistaken. I know that 
same property was in the name of a Manuel a long ways back. 
I made out an abstract of the same property for a man a short 
time ago, and I know I am not mistaken.” 

“If you are so sure about it, then what was the full name of 
the Manuel, who owned that property so far back?” I inquired. 

Said the Attorney: “Leonard Manuel was the name.” 

“Would you like to take my case for me?” I asked. 

Said the Attorney: “I have been trying to find out if you 
have a case.” 

“I am no relation to Mrs. L. C. Colburn, her former hus- 
badn, nor her children,” I said. They are no relation to Leonard 
Manuel. If Leonard Manuel was once the true owner of that 
property they are living on, on L and Merced streets, was my 
father or uncle, or I the nearest heir, would I not have the first 

i 

right and claim to his property?” I asked the Attorney. 


370 


LINKS OB' MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


Said the Attorney: “Can yon prove that?” 

“Try me, and be convinced yourself,” I replied. 

Said the Attorney : “Do you mean to say those people on L 
and Merced streets are no relation to you ?” 

“No relation whatever,” I replied. 

Said the Attorney: “How did they get possession of Leonard 
Manners property?” 

“By plot, murder, fraud and perjury,” I replied. “I want to 
be sure, before I explain further and produce evidence. How 
much would you charge to get certified for me, that the same pro¬ 
perty was in the name of Leonard Manuel, and the last year it 
was in his possession?” 

Said the Attorney: “I can have it here tomorrow afternoon 
for you for five dollars.” 

“Then I will call for it,” I replied, “and we can then talk 
over my case and make arrangements.” Which the Attorney 
agreed would be satisfactory to him. 

The next day I called on the Attorney, accompanied by 
Mr. King. 

“Was that property where Mrs. L. C. Colburn is living with 
her family on L and Merved streets, once in the name of Leonard 
Manuel?” Mr. King inquired. 

“Yes,” said the Attorney. 

Did you get that certified with the date he owned the 
property?” Mr. King asked, “I'm on hand with the money.” 

“I did not get it,” said the Attorney. 

“Why not?’’ asked Mr. King. 

Said the Attorney: “Five dollars would not pay me to run 
the risk of getting shot in the back.” 

“How much money do you want , to get it for us?” Mr. King- 
asked. 

Said the Attorney: “No amount of money.” 

“Why not get the item and take up the case for us?” said 
Mr. King. 

Said the Attorney: “There is too many of them here in 

power. I could not win your case for you in this Countv_no 

matter how much evidence was produced. It would not pay me 
to attempt it. I did not understand the case, when I promised 
to get the item for Mrs. King. I don’t want to have anythin^- 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


371 


to do with you people—it would not pay me at any price,” was 
the Attorney’s final answer, which ended our business. 

I went to the Court House the next day, and asked for a 
book that was not to be found in its place, which was not pro¬ 
duced for me. From the Court House, I proceeded to the “Fres¬ 
no Abstract Company,” and found Mr. Jarvis Streeter, of No. 22. 
Addressing Mr. Streeter, I inquired: 

“Mr. Streeter, will you please inform me, if there appears on 
your abstracts the names, Wilder Manuel, David Manuel, Leo¬ 
nard Manuel, owning land at any time in Fresno County?” 

Mr. Streeter's answer to this question was: 

“I think the name Wilder Manuel, appears on our abstracts, 
and I am sure David Manuel and Leonard Manuel, do.” 

“Will you certify for me, that Leonard Manuel owned land 
in Fresno County, and the year the land was last in his pos¬ 
session? I requested 

“Yes,” said Mr. Streeter. “I can have it ready for you by 
this time tomorrow.” 

“All right, I will call here tomorrow and settle with you for 
it,” I replied. 

When I had ‘turned to go out the door, in came one of the 
Court House Clerks I had been talking to about the book that was 
not in its place at the Court House. I called, accompanied by Mr. 
King, at the “Fresno Abstract Company,” according to the agree¬ 
ment I had made with Mr. Streeter, the day preceeding: 

“I have brought Mr. King to pay for the item you promised 

to have ready for me today,” I said. 

“We don't give abstracts back of Crocker,” said Mr. Streeter. 

“I supposed you made your living by selling* abstracts,” said 

Mr. King. 

“You don’t need any,” said Mr. Streeter. 

“How is a person to know that Crocker's title is good?” 
Ur. King said. “I want an abstract back to the Government. I 
am* willing to pay for it, and have brought the money with me.” 

After some argument about the matter, Mr. Streeter’s final 
answer to both Mr. King and I was: “You cannot get the ab¬ 
stract you ask for, from me. 

The day after this refusal, I called at the “San Joaquin Ab¬ 
stract Company” of Fresno, and tried to persuade the man I met 


372 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


there, to get me the certified name of Leonard Manuel, with the 
date he owned land in Fresno County. This they also refused to 
do. 

Both Mr. Kins: and I went to the Court House at various 

o 

times together in search for Records, where the books were 
occasionally missing from their places; which, when inquired for, 
were not produced for us. 

We were informed that the prosecuting Attorney of Fresno 
County then, was Jones; and his deputy, Frank Kauke. I 
called several times to have a talk about my case with Prose¬ 
cuting Attorney Jones, and was met by his deputy, Frank Kauke; 
who informed me that the same official was busy, absent from 
his office, or did not wish to talk to me; and I never did get to 
talk to him. 

By careful management and energy, we were permitted to 
appear before the Grand Jury of Fresno County, during the fall 
term, 1903. My nerves and health at this time being worse than 
Mr. King’s, we agreed that he was to explain some of the 
criminal phase of our case to the Grand Jury; to which Mr. 
King will answer for himself, as follows: 

MR. KING APPEARED BEFORE TPIE GRAND JURA. 

“I, J. W. King, appeared before the Grand Jury of Fresno 
County, State of California, during the fall term of 1903, where I 
explained, according to our evidence, about the three Manuel 
brothers of Vermont and Missouri; their disappearance in the 
State of California, and the appearance of the four said Manuel 
brothers who appered in Napa City, Napa Caunty, California, 
after the murder of Leonard Manuel and the disappearance of 
David Manuel; the latter of whom, the alleged and said David 
Manuel, one of the four, represented himself to be; whereas, it 
would be an impossibility for him to be who he represented him¬ 
self to be, and has been represented to be. I explained how that 
perjury and fraud had been committed, and some Court Records 
falsified by members of the gang in Napa County; how that 
after the disappearance of the three Manuel brothers, that the 
four said Manuel brothers, by the aid of their accomplices Shaf¬ 
fer and Barnett, had taken possession of land in Daviess Coun- 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


373 


ty, Missouri, soon after a stranger had appeared in the black¬ 
smith shop of the said D. A. Manuel, one of the four, who, u 
appeared, according to the circumstances, was the last surviving 
of the three Manuel brothers from Daviess County, Missouri, 
and there murdered; that records evidenced that the said D. A. 
Manuel, one of the four, had deeded away and sold land that 
had belonged to the missing David Manuel, one of the three 
Manuel brothers, who came to California and disappeared; that 
both Mrs. King and myself had been poisoned and persecuted 
under circumstances as we knew them, entirely conclusive, that 
these four said Manuel brothers, their wives and other accom¬ 
plices, were the cause of it. 

As my wife had explained to me, I gave them a synopsis of 
how she had been treated from a child by her said mother, then 
Mrs. L. C. Colburn, of Fresno; how the four said Manuel 
brothers had acted about her: how members of their families 
had treated her; how that she was poisoned when a resident of 
Redding, Shasta Couney, State of California, her death certificate 
signed and her trunks containing most of her personal effects, 
disposed of. 

I told them about books being absent from their places 
when we were in search of Records; that we had reasons to think 
that my wife’s death certificate had been produced and read 
before the Court in the Fresno Court House, and was being with¬ 
held to prevent us from getting evidence of the guilt of the guilty 
parties. 

When I was through with my explanations to the Grand 
Jury, the Foreman asked the Deputy Prosecuting Attorney 
what was required to indict the four said Manuel brothers, their 
wives and Mrs. L. C. Colburn, then of L and Merced streets, 
Fresno, for murder? 

“Only one item,” he said, “a deposition from Vermont, that 
there were no more than three of the Manuel brothers.” 

The Foreman asked the Deputy how long it would require to 
get the deposition from Vermont? 

The Deputy replied: “From two to. three weeks.” 

The Foreman said they were only allowed to hold forty 
days, and would be adjourned before they could procure the 


374 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


deposition, and told the Deputy Prosecuting Attorney to procure 
the deposition from Vermont, and take up the case. 

J. W. King.” 

I, Mrs. Eleanor Manuel King, represented to the Grand Jury 
of the City of Fresno, that I was a victim of a plot and con¬ 
spiracy; that Mrs. L. C. Colburn, of 1459 L street, Fresno, was 
my said mother, and was not my mother: that she had 
misrepresented my true age, according to what I could 
remember, had heard her and others say, and had con¬ 
cealed from people who knew me, the true identity of 
my parents; that I was old enough to run around and 
talk, before I first saw her. I requested them to summons her be¬ 
fore them, and that she be compelled to tell who my true parents 
were, and how I came to be in her control. The Foreman of the 
Grand Jury, Mr. William Holland, a merchant of the city of 
Fresno, instructed Deputy Frank Kauke to have Mrs. L. C. Col¬ 
burn my said mother, to appear before them within four days, 

It was reported in the city of Fresno, which reports were 
brought to us, that my said mother, Mrs. L. C. Colburn, of 1459 
L street, died Jan. 4th, 1904, the day before she was to appear 
before the Grand Jury. Thus she escaped. Then followed ac¬ 
counts of her death and will, advertised in Fresno newspapers. 
The following is a copy of the wording of her will, as appeared 
in a Fresno city newspaper: 

“MRS. COLBURN’S WILL. 

The will of Mrs. Laura C. Colburn was filed for probate 
yesterday by her sons, Augustus and Louis Manuel, who are 
named therein as executors. The property consists of lots 1 to 
3, inclusive, in block 92, and lot 17 in block 129, and lot 26 and 
north 5 feet of lot 25, block 113, Fresno city, valued at $9,500. 
Besides this real estate there is furniture valued at $500 and 150 
cash. All the property is bequeathed to Louis Manuel in trust, 
the rents and profits to go to her husband, Henry S'. Colburn,' 
during his lifetime, and at his death the property is to be divided 
among her children, Augustus, Louis and George Manuel and 
Mrs. Nellie M. King, and her granddaughter, Geneva Anderson, 
share and share alike. M. K. Harris is attorney for petitioners.’’ 

Though the preceding will says “share and share alike,” it 
can be seen from the reading of it, from my true story, and from 
No.’s 34, 35, 20, 49, 50, 51, 52, 62, that the same will was designed 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 375 

to defrand me out of my rightful share of inheritance as a 
daughter of the said Laura C. Colburn, and conceal on Records 
the true identity of my true parents and relatives, to deprive me 
of any and all rights as an heir to any and all lands or property 
that might have been willed to me, or was mine by rights as 
their heir. 

When looking over the records of the Fresno Court House, 
Mr. King and I found that one Amos Griswold, was paying 
taxes on acres of land in Fresno County, before Fresno was a 
town or city; that 160 acres of land situated on the King's river 
in Fresno County, was in the name of David A. Manuel. When 
we endeavored to trace any lands we found on Records owned by 
persons with the surname of Manuel to when they were first 
in possession of them, books containing such records, were not 
to be found by us in their places, and were not produced to us 
at our requests. As appeared from the tax records we saw in 
the Fresno Court House, George, Louis and Augustus Manuel, 
had been paying taxes on 40-acre tracts of land in Fresno County, 
and taxes on property in the city of Fresno, during my reported- 
dead absence; indicative, that they had been liberally provided 
for, years before 1903; whereas, no house, lot, acre of land or 
money, .was deeded, willed, or set aside for me, that we found on 
record in the Fresno Court House. 

From when we entered the city of Fresno, June 21st, 1903, 
and January 4th, 1904, neither Mr. King nor I had seen, called 
to see, or had spoken to my said mother, Mrs. L. C. Colburn. 
No word, protest or request of any kind had come to either of us 
from her—no more than if she had never known me, or had heard 
of our presence in Fresno. Neither had any of my said Manuel 
or Colburn relatives called to see us, or had spoken to Mr. 
King, during all of this time, and neither of us had sent any 
written or spoken word to them. My first to see any one of my 
said Manuel brothers, since leaving Fresno in 1885, was Janu- 
arv 3rd, 1904; when I met and saw by accident, my said brother 
Louis Manuel, in a drugstore; who spoke to me and notified me 
that his mother was dying. These facts were noticed and com¬ 
mented on, together with what we had related openly in the 
city of Fresno to people in general, who said they were con- 


376 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


vinced that my said relatives of Fresno, were no relation to me. 
And from the fact, that not one of them had entered any protest 
to disprove any or all that we had said about them—accusing 
them of murder continuously from the date we had entered 
Fresno, June 21st, 1903, at our offer to them to prove to the con¬ 
trary in the Fresno Court, if they were not guilty of murder and 
criminal conspiracy as we were accusing them to people in gen¬ 
eral ; which was convincing to people of Fresno, that my said 
mother and my other said relatives of Fresno, were guilty of 
what we said they were. And this was our defense and protection 
with careful management and caution, that prevented my gang 
from doing us up in Fresno; which I had foreseen, planned, and 
we had followed out, from the beginning of our arrival in the 
city of Fresno. For there are thousands of people now in Fresno 
County, California, who are not criminals, and do not approve 
of the kind of criminals that we convinced them my gang' were. 

OUR INTERVIEW WITH GEORGE S. MANUEL, MY 

ELDEST SAID BROTHER. 

Several days after our notification of the funeral of my said 
mother Mrs. L. C. Colburn, which we did not attend or go near, 
George S. Manuel called at the house where we were rooming, 
and told the proprietress he wished to talk to his sister, Mrs. 
King. This request was repeated to Mr. King, who first met him 
in the hall. 

“It will be better and safer for you, not to talk to my wife, 
or me either, unless you have excellent control of your temper 
and nerves,” Mr. King advised him. 

George continuing his request, Mr. King notified him to the 
effect: “You can only talk to her in my presence, and the pres¬ 
ence of other witnesses. I warn you before hand, you must keep 
your control and a civil tongue in your head, regardless of what¬ 
ever my wife or I may say to you. You must avoid all false or 
suspicious moves, or you run a dangerous risk of soon regretting 
it—that is—if you value your life to be worth anything. You will 
be treated civilly, while you keep this rule. If you think you are 
sufficient for the ordeal, I will immediately arrange our inter- 
view. 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING 


377 


To this, George consented and agreed, and our meeting was 
arranged with Mr. King and three other witnesses present. 

George meeting me, pretended to be friendly, offered his 

hand, which I refured; saying it was no friendly meeting. 

“I supposed I was meeting my sister,” said George. 

“I am no relation to you,” I replied. 

All*. King sat facing George, with one hand in a coat pocket 
on a revolver; though the revolver was not visible, and there was 
no mention of it to George, during our entire interview; yet 
George, evidently, was as well aware of Mr. King’s precautions, 
as if he saw the revolver openly in his hand. The following will 
be some account in brief, of what was said during this interview: 

George said that Mrs. Colburn was dead; had left a will, in 
which I was named one-fifth heir, asking if he could read it to 
us? Giving our consent, George opened wide his coat pocket, 
from which he took the will, and read it: that was worded like 
the preceding account of the newspaper. 

I explained to George: “The true valuation of the property 
as stated in the will, is a long distance below its correct value, 
to begin with. The other heirs have it in their possession, con¬ 
trol and management, and possession is all with them, so far as 
I am concerned. They can so scheme and manage as to derive 
their benefits from it, which is plain enough to be seen on the 
face of it, without magnifying glass or arguments; and retain 
possession of the property, allowing that I outlive Mr. Colburn, 
to get some small fraction of the one-fifth that is willed to me; 
which has only been willed to me to defeat what is fair, right or 
just, any way it can be considered, according to the circumstan¬ 
ces, and so far as I am concerned, is not worthy of being called 
a will. You, Louis and Augustus, say I am your sister. Why 
do I not receive some house, lot, or acre of land from your 
mother, as you boys have? You know too well that your 
mother has never treated me like a daughter or friend, and you 
know that your mother has instructed all of you that I am no 
relation to you. Your treatment of me, is evidence of it. The 
will is only a device to conceal the identity of my true parents; 
to defraud me out of all that may be willed to me from 
them or other relatives, and all that belongs to me as heir to 
their property, and is falsifying Court Records. And how can 
there be anything more aggrivating than to have it go on record 


378 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


that I am a daughter of a woman who has been guilty of at¬ 
tempting to murder me, has helped to deprive me of my parents, 
other relatives, and now this will is brought to deprive me 
of all that rightfully belongs to me from my parents and rela¬ 
tives. 

“This is all news to me,” said George, “I would like to hear 
some explanation of what you are telling me.” 

“I will give you a certain amount of explanation,” said Mr. 
King, “enough to convince you that we are in the right; but first 
I would like to have you answer a few questions for me.” 

“Ask them,” said George. 

“How many brothers did your father have, and what were 
their names?” 

“Dave, George, Hiram and Harrison, were all I ever heard 
of,” said George. 

“Was Harrison the one who committed the murder in the 
blacksmith shop?” Mr. King asked. 

“Yes,” said George. 

“Did your father have a brother named Chandler?” Mr. 
King asked. 

“This is the first I ever heard of it,” George said. “Four of 
them are all 1 ever heard of, no more, and no less.” 

“Do you think your father, David Manuel, is the kind of 
a man who would commit murder?” Mr. King asked. 

“Yes, I think he would be capable of most any crime,” said 
George. 

Then Mr. King explained to George about the three missing 
Manuel brothers of Vermont and Daviess County, Missouri, two 
of whom came to California and disappeared; that the man mur¬ 
dered in his said father's blacksmith shop in Napa, in 1867, was 
very conclusively, the last surviving of one of these missing 
brothers; that soon after this murder, his said father and uncles 
of California, had sent accomplices, Shaffer and Barnett to Da¬ 
viess County, Missouri, who took possession of land belonging 
to these missing Manuel brothers, who had represented his said 
father to be David Manuel, one of these missing brothers, to 
whom his father had deeded and sold Shaffer and Barnett land 
there of this missing David Manuel, brother to Chandler and 
Leonard Manuel. 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


379 


‘‘It is all news to me,” said George. “This is my first to 
hear of it. It is horrible, as you represent it.” 

“You admit that your said father was a bad man?” Mr. King- 

said. 

“I never knew any worse,” George said. 

“Do you know the State and year of your birth?” Mr. King 
asked. 

“I was born in the State of Illinois, in the year of 1851, so 
my mother, Mrs. Colburn, taught me,” said George. 

“How much older are you than Nellie?” Mr. King asked. 

“I am not less than eight years older, and might be more,” 
George replied. 

“How old a man did George W. Manuel look to be in 1866?” 
Mr. King asked. 

“He did not look to be less than tharty-five,” George replied. 

“Do you know that your mother took an oath in Court that 
she was married to David Manuel, on or about the 17th day of 
March, 1852?” That it stands that way on the Napa Court 
Records? According to this account, your birth would have 
taken place prior to their marriage,” said Mr. King. 

“No, I never heard of it before,” said George. 

“Do you know that your mother took the oath in Court that 
you were no more than four years older than Nellie?” said Mr. 
King. 

“No. If she did, it was not true. I think I am eight years 
and a half older than Nellie,” George said. “It might be proven 
yet, that I am no relation to them.” 

“Where did you first see Nellie?” Mr. King asked. 

George would not answer the question—no response came 
from him. 

“How old was Nellie when you first saw her?” Mr. King- 
asked. 

“You were old enough to know when your said parents first 
got her, that she was not their child, and was not your sister,” 
said Mr. King. 

George would not answer a word to give a clue to the 
identity of my parents, and seeing Mr. King’s anger rising on 
account of it, took his departure. 

The Court House Square, of Fresno City, was used as a 
park. One Sunday, while Mr. King and I were seated in the 
park, an elderly man came and sat on the same seat, who soon 


380 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


became engaged in conversation with us. Learning that he was 
an old-timer in that part of the country, I inquired of him: 

“Did you ever pass through this part of the plains where we 
are today, at any time between the years of 1863 and 1866 ?” 

“Yes. I was a cattle man then,” said the man. 

“Would you remember the land, the houses as they were 
then, if you heard them described?” I asked. 

“There is no doubt but I would,” he said. 

Then I described to him SCENE II. The plains, the weath¬ 
erbeaten house on the low, long hill—a rise of ground; the house 
where I was looking out of the door, the water, the whole scene 
as described in SCENE II, asking if he ever saw houses and a 
place of the same description? 

“This was the place,” said the man. “You have described 
the grounds and the two houses accurately. You must have been 
here to be able to give such an accurate description of the place. 
The old house you saw on the low hill, then stood nearly on the 
same spot where the Court House now stands, before they low¬ 
ered the hill by grading it. The water you saw then flowing 
at the base of the hill, was the overflow from Dry Creek.” 

I carried with me at the time, a picture of G. AY. Manuel, 
one of the four, which I showed to the man, inquiring if he had 
ever seen or had known the original of the picture prior to 1867? 

“Yes,” said the man, “I saw him near Bakersfield, Kern 
County, in the spring of 1865, selling off cattle.” 

“What was his name?” I asked. 

“I knew him then as George Young,” said the man, “but the 
same man disappeared from there, and came back a year later, 
under the name of George Manuel. This man I knew had 
Indian blood in him, and he might have had some other kind of 
a mixture in him. He was as dark as an Indian. He slept out of 
doors nights with the cattle he had herded together to sell, 
hollered and yelled in his sleep, and acted like he had committed 
some crime that was haunting him.” 

We waited, and could get no definite reply or satisfaction, 
as to whether the Prosecuting Attorney of Fresno or his Deputy 
Frank Kauke, had sent, or was going to send to Vermont, for the 
Deposition that “there were no more than the three Manuel 
brothers,” or that they ever intended to take up our case, as they 
had been told to, by the Grand Jury. I therefore tried to get 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


381 


other attorneys of Fresno one after another, to take up our case 
for us. Some of them said I had a good case, had been wronged, 
and badly wronged; but they did not think they could win the 
case in Fresno for me, no matter what evidence might be pro¬ 
duced. Finally one suggested: 

“Henry Brinkley is an able attorney. I think if there is any 
attorney here who will tackle your case in Fresno County, that 
Henry Brinkley would be the one. He has more courage about 
tackling cases in this county than any attorney I know of. If 
he refuses to take your case, then I don’t think it will be worth 
your while to spend your time in search of another here.” 

Mr. King and I called on Attorney Brinkley and talked to 
him part of an afternoon on our case, who said he would first 
go and look over records in the Court House and see what he 
could find there, and told us to call on him the following after¬ 
noon. We kept our appointment, and Attorney asked if we had 
copies of our evidence? We told him we had. 

“Bring them this afternoon, if you can,” he said, “and let 
me read them.” 

When Mr. Brinkley read our evidence, he said he would take 
our case on a contingent fee, and furnish all money needed to 

carry it through the Courts, saying: 

“Bring copies of your letters and Affidavits in the morning, 

and I will put my typewriter to work on them. ’ 

We brought the copies of evidence, and the next afternoon 
had the pleasure of seeing the typewriter at work on them. We 
also called several afternoons in succession and had private 
consultations with our Attorney, preparatory of our case. We 
had reasons to be pleased and proud of our Attorney, his ability 
and courage; and we liked his style of doing business, besides 
liking him personally; but we learned from his conversation 
that he had been in the habit of driving to and from home some 
miles from the City in the country, unaccompanied; about which 
Mr. King and I thought and talked seriously, after we had gone 
from his office, and called on him again the next day, being ex¬ 
ceedingly anxious that no harm would befall Mr. Brinkley from 
the gang, for his own sake, as well as ours. We instructed, 
advised and warned him of his danger from the gang; particu¬ 
larly about driving to and from the city unaccompanied; to give 
no chance for any one to dispose of him, which would very prob- 


382 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


ably be attempted, to stop him from carrying our case through; 
which would be done in such a manner that nothing could be 
proven against those guilty of the crime. Mr. Brinkley said he was 
so well known in Fresno and County, that we had so generally 
exposed our said relatives in Fresno, that he had no fear of them 
attempting to do him any bodily injury. It was the second or 
third evening after this warning, that Mr. King read a short item 
in a Fresno newspaper, of a Fresno attorney who had been held 
up the evening previous, by highwaymen. No name was men¬ 
tioned. 

Anxious and excited, we both spoke together: “What if 
that should be our attorney ?” 

Neither of us could sleep or rest that night, and I went to 
inquire in the morning if our Mr. Brinkley was all right, hoping 
to hear that he was not the injured attorney. To our sorrow 
and regret, it proved to be our Attorney; whose injuries proved 
to be too serious to continue with our case. 

Readers, I recommend to your sympathy and respect, our 
honorable young Attorney, Mr. Henry Brinkley, of Fresno city 
and county, California. The following is an account of his at¬ 
tempted murder, as it was published in a Fresno newspaper: 

A FIENDISH CRIME 

HENRY BRINKLEY SANDBAGGED 
AND THROWN ACROSS TRACK 

The Whistle of the On-Rushing Owl 
Aroused Him to Semi-Consciousness 
And he Saved His Life. 


That Henry Brinkley’s anatomy is not a Loyd puzzle on 
the morgue slab awaiting identification is almost providential. 
As it is, the well known young attorney ex-newspaperman, past- 
president of the Native Sons and man-about-town, is telling his 
friends of a harrowing experience he had Sunday night, one such 
an experience being ample for a long lifetime. Brickley was 
sandbagged into unconsciousness out in the country and carried 
to the Southern Pacific railroad track to be ground to pieces by 
the train. He heard the whistle of the on-rushing Owl, and still 
dazed, he aroused himself sufficiently to throw himself off the 
track, and as he did so, the train whizzed by. Brickley, only 
half conscious, sat bolt upright beside the track, as he gazed in 





LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


383 


bewilderment at the flashing windows as the train thundered 
past. Was it a dream or a reality? He didn’t know which, but 
picked himself up, and not knowing why, he walked and walked 
and all he saw or knew was a line of ties—an endless number, 
lie thought. Occasionally he would see a little path and he 
would trudge along it awhile returning to the hopeless treadmill 
of the ties. And knowing nothing else, he walked and walked, 
about five miles, to the roundhouse, near town, and the lights 
of Fresno for the first time claimed his attention. And then his 
mind began to work. Slowly it all came back to him. He re¬ 
membered driving along the road on his way home after spending 
Sunday at the ranch. Fie was jogging liesurely along the by-lane 
back of the Estrella vineyard, as he had done perhaps a thousand 
times, and he remembered a voice that he heard in the darkness. 
It simply called out, “Hey, there’' His mind was preoccupied, 
and, never thinking of a highwayman, he drew his horse up, 
turning the horse in the direction of the voice and waited a mo¬ 
ment for the man to come up. He thought some one might 
wanted to inquire the way, to ask a ride to town, or for some 
small favor as to borrow a match. 

Just as the fellow who had hailed him stepped up and before 
a word was said, Brinkley felt a terrific blow on the side of his 

head. He knew nothing more until the whistle of the Owl 
brought him sufficiently back to consciousness to scramble off 
the track. He did not fully regain his senses, however, until he 
nearly reached town, when he discovered that his watch was 
gone, and his pocket was devoid of about $14 that he had. The 
thugs left him 27 cents—a quarter and two pennies. He reached 
town about 1 o’clock in the morning, and he went to the 
Excelsior stable to report the loss of the rig, when he was told 
that the horse had returned to the stable himself with the buggy 
in good condition. 

“How I got on the track I don’t know, said Brinkley yester¬ 
day in speaking of his experience. “It may be that in my dazed 
condition I wandered on to it and lay down, but that seems 
hardly probable. I believe those fellows, thinking perhaps that 
they had killed me carried me to the railroad track and laid me 
down there, thinking that the first train would mangle me so 
that all evidences of assault would be done away with. As for 
the men, I did not see the one who sandbagged me at all, and I 
just caught a passing glance at the other and paid no particular 
attention to him. Fie seemed, as he stepped into the moonilgt, 
to be clean shaven and had a light suit on, with a light or brown 
hat. I did not notice anything peculiar about him, and he 
seemed to be of ordinary size. 

The left side of Brinkley’s face plainly shows where he. re¬ 
ceived the blow. Flis eye is nearly closed, and his face is bruised 


384 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


and scratched. One of his thumbs is either sprained or dislo¬ 
cated, sustained probably as he fell from the buggy or was pulled 
from it. 

THE NAPA RIVER DISCLOSES THE AWFUL SECRET, 
WE BELIEVE, OF WHAT BECAME OF MY MOT HR, 

I MISSED AND LOST FROM THE OLD 
HOUSE BY THE NAPA RIVER 

It was only a smalll item, only several lines, in an obscure 
place, published in a San Francisco newspaper, during the year 
of 1904, which we read, and hundreds, perhaps thousands have 
read the same, that was worded according to the following: 

“A DREDGER WAS AT WORK IN THE NAPA RIVER, 
A SHORT DISTANCE BELOW THE STEAMER LAND¬ 
ING, WHERE THE SKELETON OF A SMALL WOMAN 
WAS TAKEN UP ON THE DREDGER, FROM THE BOT¬ 
TOM OF THE RIVER; WHERE IT PIAD BEEN A LONG 
TIME. THIS SKELETON WAS WRAPPED WITH WIRES' 
AND CHAINS, AND WAS WEIGHTED DOWN WITH 
CHUNKS OF IRON.” 

Mr. King and I had been secretly warned and advised to 
leave Fresno County and the State of California, before we were 
murdered. The persons who gave us the warnings, we had rea¬ 
sons to think, knew much more about what was on Record con¬ 
cerning my case, than we were given a chance to know, saying 
that neither of us, very evidently knew, or had any correct idea, 
as to what we had come against in Fresno. Some advised: “Go 
away and write a book and educate people in general, in regards 
to the kind of a case you have, then perhaps something can be 
done for your rights and protection.” When people’s attentions 
were drawn to the earthquakes and their results, of Califorina, 
in 1906, Mr. King and I very unexpectedly slipped away from 
Fresno, and arrived in Seattle, State of Washington, the 9th of 
July, 1906. We have since remained residents of Washington 
and are now residents of a town not far from Seattle, called 
Pacific. 

As I have explained in this, with previous SCENES and 
SKETCHES, that both Mr. King and myself openly advertised 
to people in Fresno, by declaring to them, that my said mother, 
Mrs. L. C. Colburn, of 1459 L and Merced streets, was not my 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 385 

mother; had come into possession of property from my true 
relatives, by murder, fraud and perjury. This we did six months 
before this said will of Mrs. L. C. Colburn was made, wherein 
I was named one-fifth heir, after her other children had been 
liberally provided for—the records of Fresno showed—years be¬ 
fore my last return to Fresno. This will was made, published, 
probated, and went on record without our consent. I wish it 
understood, that my belief was, and is, that any and all of the 
land named in this will of Mrs. L. C. Colburn, I was the rightful 
heir to, from my true relatives, who had been murdered and dis¬ 
posed of; and to accept any portion of this property willed to 
me, was only accepting some small fraction of what I had been 
defrauded out of, and was mine by true right of- inheritance 
from my true relatives. 

After we became residents of Pacific, Mr. King was told 
that my said step-father Henry S. Colburn, was dead. Needing 
extra money preparatory of this book for publication, besides 
extra proof to give people some idea as to what my said Manuels 
of the four were, and are, to me, I got Mr. King to search for 
some attorney of Seattle to collect the one-fifth due me from the 
said will of the same said Mrs. L. C. Colburn, deceased. This 
was difficult to do, when explained to any attorney what he was 
going against, to collect the one-fifth in money, due me from this 
will, which had to be done. Finally, by agreeing with Attorney 
Tworogers, of Seattle, Washington, to allow him one-half of any 
amount of money he could collect of this one-fifth, we entered 
into a Contract; of which the following is a copy of the wording 
and spelling: 

• OUR AGREEMENT WITH TWOROGER & WINKLER. 

“This agreement made this 16th day of July, 1910, between 
Nellie Manuel King and J. W. King her husband, as parties of 
the first part, and Tworoger & Winkler, Attorneys at Law, prac¬ 
ticing in Seattle, Washington parties of the second part; WIT¬ 
NESSETH: 

The said Nellie Manuel King is the devisee under the last will 
and testament of one Laura C. Colburn, late of Fresno, California, 
of one-fifth of all the real estate and personal property of which 
the said Laura C. Colburn died seised, and; 


386 


LINKS OF MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


WHEREAS; the said Nellie Manuel King and the said J. W. 
King, have this day executed a deed of one half of all the said 
property to Tworoger and Winkler, for the following considera¬ 
tion and on the following conditions; The said Tworoger & 
Winkler shall forthwith and without delay proceed to render all 
legal services necessary to secure to the said Nellie Manuel King 
all her rights under the said last will and testament of the said 
Laura C. Colburn, at their own expense and without any costs 
or charges to the said Nellie Manuel King. 

The said Tworoger & Winkler shall also hold the said Nellie 
Manuel King, harmless from any and all liability, cost and ex¬ 
pense under a certain agreement made by her with one S. H. 
Steele, dated the 25th day of April, 1910. 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto set their hands 
this 16th day of July, 1910. 

Tworoger & Winkler 
by P Tworoger 

In presence of Mrs. Nellie Manuel King. 

M. Rosenblat James W. King. 

My one-fifth share of this will, should not have been less 
than seven thousand dollars ($7,000) ; but the fraction of the one- 
fifth of this will, paid to me as my share of the same will, was 
$1,200—a mere pretense. When our attorneys Tworoger & 
Winkler, were paid their share, I had remaining, $600; yet I do 
not question that our attorneys did their best to succeed in the 
collection of the mere pretense. I have not yet, during my life¬ 
time to date, September 11th, 1913, been given, received, or have 
signed, to the extent of a five-cent piece in money or property 
of any kind, from my said father, who is or was, the alleged 
David and David A. Manuel (one of the four), of Napa City and 
Calistoga, Napa County, California. 

I hold glaring evidence that this criminal conspiracy is yet 
in progress; which I have withheld from publication. According 
to a copy of some Court Proceedings I hold from Napa, Cali¬ 
fornia, the names of the sons and daughters of the alleged D. A. 
Manuel (one of the four), and his wife Charlotte, are namely: 
William Manuel, Mrs. William P. Cook, Grace L. Manuel, Jessie 
R. Manuel, Paul L. Manuel, Frank D. Manuel. I do not know 
any of these persons by sight, and never heard of all of them, 
until we were residents of the State of Washington, after 1906, 


LINKS OP MYSTERY AND THEIR UNVEILING. 


387 


While looking over records issued from the Patent Office, 
Washington, D. C., Mr. King found the names of two of the 
four said Manuel brothers of California, recorded as inventors of 
plows and gang plows, namely, G. W. Manuel and D. A. Manuel, 
according to the following: 

Patent No. 

78111, issued May 19, 1868, to G. W. Manuel, for Gang Plow; 
Attorney, Thomas T. Everett, Washington, D. C. 

137697, issued April 18, 1873, to G. W. Manuel, for Gang- 
Plow; Attorney, C. W. M. Smith, San Francisco, Cali¬ 
fornia. Associate attorneys, Dyer, Beadle and Com¬ 
pany, Washington, D. C. 

85746, issued January 12, 1869, and 

127495, issued June 14, 1872, to D. A. Manuel, for plow; At¬ 
torney in both cases, George E. Brown, Washington, 

D. C. 

The U. S. Patent Office has furnished photographs of the sig¬ 
natures attached to the original applications for patents on the 
inventions of G. W. Manuel and D. A. Manuel; which photo¬ 
graphs show evidence undisputable, of forgery and perjury, in 
claiming the said two brothers, D. A. Manuel and G. W. Man 

uel, to have been the inventors. One of these protographs we 
have had reproduced as evidence, which is on the following page. 
This reproduction shows that the person who signed his name 
as the true inventor, D. A. Manuel, was a practiced writei, 
though he neither knew how to spell the name Manuel, or was in 
the practice of signing the name Manuel, when he signed the 
name represented to be his, D. A. Manuel. Please notice also, 
by the dates of the foregoing, that these patents were not ap¬ 
plied for, until after the stranger had been murdered in Dave s 

blacksmith shop in 1867. 

I James W. King, witness, that all herein as related and 
quoted in regards to myself by my wife, Mrs. Eleanor Manuel 
King, is true, and with my consent. 

READERS, thanking you for your interested attention, 

Very Respectfully, Adieu. 

(my husband and hero) Mr. James A . King. 

/ myself ) Mrs. Eleanor and Nellie Manuel King, 

(author, composer and writer). 


OCT 2 1913 





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